Soy Free Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Olives & Cucumber
Bright, herby, and packed with bold Mediterranean flavors, 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. Chewy brown rice forms a hearty base, while juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny Kalamata olives, and sharp red onion bring a satisfying mix of textures and flavors in every bite. The dressing is a simple whisked blend of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, oregano, and cumin — nothing complicated, just clean ingredients that come together beautifully. Soy can sneak into store-bought dressings and pre-seasoned grains in surprising ways, so making everything from scratch here means you stay completely in control of what goes into the bowl. Fresh parsley and optional mint lift the whole salad with a pop of brightness that makes it feel genuinely restaurant-worthy. It keeps well in the fridge for up to three days, so you can make a big batch and pull from it all week 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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