Asian Rice Salad

Once upon a time far far away, I erroneously thought salad = bowl of lettuce. My friends probably believed the same thing. If only we had known.

The first time I entered the world of a real salad, it was kind of mind-blowing. Who knew salads could be all exciting and amazingly delicious? Note to Self 15 years ago: anything is possible in the world of salads.

The turning point came when a good friend, who’s a diva in the kitchen, brought me a salad with rice mixed in. I was instantly smitten. That was eons ago, but I’ve never forgotten the magic…

Since that long ago moment of salad bliss, I’ve embarked on many salad adventures. We gorge on everything from our Wheat Berry Salad with Apples to our Vietnamese Style Rice Salad (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free.)

Are you feeling the pattern? It’s all about the grains. They’re rock stars in salads. Which brings me to this Asian Rice Salad. It’s stunningly delicious. Made with bright crispy veggies, a multigrain instant rice mix, and delightful sesame ginger dressing.

Asian Rice Salad

5 from 22 ratings

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This Asian Rice Salad is an exciting blend of flavors, color, and texture. The blend of grains and greens with sesame ginger dressing is jaw-dropping delicious!

Servings: 6

Ingredients  

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For the Salad:

• 1 bag cooked rice medley, such as Minute Rice, cooled to room temp
• ½ cup Romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup edamame, shelled
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro
• 1 can, 15oz mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 cups shredded chicken, rotisserie works well; or omit for meatless
• ½ cup toasted sliced almonds
• ¼ cup green onions, sliced thinly

For the Dressing:

• ¼ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar, found in most stores' Asian aisles
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Sriracha
• 1 TB soy sauce
• 3 TB pure honey
• 3 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 TB Asian toasted sesame oil, caramel brown in color
• ⅓ cup canola or olive oil
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 TB toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

• Do Ahead: In a bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until well blended. Transfer to desired container and keep chilled until ready to use.
• When ready to serve: In salad bowl, toss together cooked Multi-Grain Medley, Romaine lettuce, carrots, cabbage, edamame, bell pepper, and cilantro. Toss with enough dressing to coat well. Gently toss in shredded chicken and mandarin oranges, sprinkling in more dressing as desired. Garnish top of salad with almonds and green onions. Serve immediately.
• * Unused dressing may be kept in an airtight container in fridge for 2-3 weeks.

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Course: Salad, Side