Coconut Free Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Olives & Cucumber
Bright, herby, and loaded with Mediterranean flavor, this grain salad is the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or a relaxed weeknight dinner. Nutty brown rice forms the hearty base, while juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny Kalamata olives, and sharp red onion bring color and crunch to every forkful. The dressing is a simple whisked blend of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, oregano, and cumin — bold enough to stand up to the rice without overwhelming the fresh vegetables. Fresh parsley and optional mint round everything out with a clean, garden-fresh finish that feels genuinely satisfying. Because every single ingredient here is naturally free from coconut in any form — no coconut oil, no coconut milk, no sneaky coconut-derived additives — there's no label-reading stress involved. It's a completely whole-food, plant-forward bowl that comes together with pantry staples and a little chopping. Make a big batch on Sunday and you'll have a ready-to-go lunch that holds up beautifully in the fridge for up to three days.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the rice
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the salad
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 english cucumber, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the brown rice, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is tender, about 40–45 minutes.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then spread it out in a large mixing bowl and let it cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
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