Dairy Free Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Olives & Cucumber
This bright, herb-forward salad is the kind of dish that makes you feel like you're eating lunch on a sun-drenched terrace somewhere along the Aegean coast. Juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny Kalamata olives, and sharp red onion come together over nutty brown rice for a bowl that's satisfying enough to stand alone as a meal. The dressing is a simple whisk of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, oregano, and cumin — no cream, no butter, no cheese — so every single component is naturally free of dairy without any substitutions or workarounds required. That lemon-cumin combination gives the whole salad a punchy, layered flavor that makes it taste far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Fresh parsley and optional mint add a herby lift that keeps each bite feeling clean and vibrant. It holds up beautifully in the fridge for up to three days, which makes it an ideal make-ahead lunch or a reliable dish to bring to a potluck where dietary needs vary. Whether you're cooking for one or feeding a crowd, this is the kind of wholesome, crowd-pleasing recipe you'll come back to all summer long.
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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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