Ain‘t this the most colorful rice salad you’ve ever seen?
I’m sure you’re nodding quite eagerly now. Excellent 💚
The inspiration for this recipe once again comes from the small vegan café in which I worked a couple of years ago. Every Sunday they have a brunch buffet, and there are, among other things, delicious salads, such as the one here today. I’ve been adapting the recipe a bit here and there and now it’s exactly how I like it.
My Cannellini Beetroot Rice Salad isn’t only pretty to look at, no, it has inner values, too 😉
Of course, it’s pretty delicious, but above all, healthy and totally good for you. Beetroot provides you with valuable herbal iron, vitamins A, B & C, as well as calcium and magnesium. Sweet corn is full of B vitamins, calcium, potassium and iron. And cannellini beans are full of fiber (and therefore great for a healthy colon), protein (23.4 g | 100 g) & folic acid.
You can take the salad solo as a quick lunch in the office and definitely be sure to have a complete & wholesome meal. It gives you new energy and leaves you satisfied for a long time (thanks to the delicious little beans). Or you have it as a side with veggie patties or fried tofu.
It’s little helper approved, too 😋
And the best, this salad is a little quicky as well. If you happen to have already cooked basmati rice around, it’s even a little quicker 🙂 But if not, the salad will be on your table in not more than 30 minutes as well.
And if you’re already wrinkling your nose because beetroot is not really your thing: be open to something new and give this little salad a go. You won‘t regret it, big promise. I really think that you can hardly taste the beetroot in the dressing, but it simply makes for this great pink-red color. 💗
Enjoy & bon appetite! XO, Romy
- 1 cup | 170 g basmati rice
- 40 g walnuts, roughly chopped (about 1 handful)
- 1x 400 g can of cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
- 1x 150 g can of sweet corn, drained
- 1 apple, cored & diced
- 2-3 stalks of fresh basil, chopped
- 2 small beetroots, cooked*
- 1 small onion, peeled
- 4 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar (condimento bianco)
- 2 Tbsp native olive oil
- 1 heaped Tbsp mustard
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2-3 Tbsp beetroot juice (optional)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp chervil
- pinches of salt, pepper & nutmeg
First cook the rice according to package instructions. (This normally takes 15-20 minutes.) Then let it cool slightly.
While your rice is cooking, you can roast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat, until they start getting brown and fragrant (approx. after 5 minutes). Set aside.
To make the dressing, simply combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and season again if needed.
Now combine the cooled rice, nuts, beans, corn, apple & basil in a big bowl, pour over the dressing and mix through.
You can decorate your salad with some additional basil leaves & a sprinkle of sesame, if you like. 🍃