Vegetarian Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Olives & Cucumber
Bright, herby, and packed with texture, this grain salad is the kind of dish that makes you genuinely excited about eating your vegetables. Juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny Kalamata olives, and sharp red onion come together over nutty brown rice for a bowl that feels both satisfying and refreshing. The dressing is a simple whisk of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, oregano, and cumin — bold enough to stand up to the hearty grain without overpowering the fresh produce. Letting the rice cool completely before tossing is the small but crucial step that keeps everything from turning mushy and helps the dressing absorb evenly into each grain. A handful of flat-leaf parsley (and fresh mint if you're feeling it) lifts the whole thing with a clean, garden-fresh finish. It holds up beautifully in the fridge for up to three days, which makes it a brilliant option for meal prep, potlucks, or a quick weekday lunch that actually tastes like you tried.
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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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