Sugar-Free Refreshing Rice Salad

Elevate your mealtime with this Sugar-Free Refreshing Rice Salad, a vibrant and wholesome dish that's as nutritious as it is satisfying. Featuring tender, nutty brown rice as the base, this recipe is packed with colorful, crisp vegetables like cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion, offering a delightful medley of textures and flavors. Fresh parsley and mint add an aromatic herbaceous touch, while a zesty lemon and extra virgin olive oil dressing ties everything together with a burst of citrusy brightness. Completely free of added sugars and ready in just 40 minutes, this salad is the perfect healthy option for a light lunch, side dish, or picnic favorite. Serve it cold or at room temperature for a refreshing meal that's both delicious and nourishing!

Nutriscore Rating: 73/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:25 mins

Total Time:40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 0.5 medium red onion
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley
• 1 large lemon
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the brown rice under cold water to remove excess starch.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and a pinch of salt, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Step 3

While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the bell pepper, and finely chop the red onion.

Step 4

Chop the fresh parsley and fresh mint leaves finely.

Step 5

Once the rice is cooked, spread it on a baking sheet and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Step 6

In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, parsley, and mint.

Step 7

In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of one large lemon and the extra virgin olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and black pepper.

Step 8

Pour the dressing over the rice salad and toss everything together until well coated and mixed.

Step 9

Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 10

Serve the salad cold or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1425.1g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	762.6

Total Fat 45.8g	0%
Saturated Fat 6.7g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1249.3mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 88.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 17.7g	0%
Total Sugars 19.1g
Protein 14.5g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 377.2mg	0%
Iron 10.1mg	0%
Potassium 1800.3mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 50.0%

Protein: 7.0%

Carbs: 43.0%