Grilled Vegetable and Rice Salad

This grilled veggie and rice salad is the perfect summer side dish full of fresh flavor! It’s made with hearty grilled vegetables, perfectly cooked basmati rice, and a delicious lemon basil vinaigrette to pull everything together. 

This recipe is sponsored by Lundberg Family Farms who I am excited to be partnering with throughout 2021. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Most Delicious Grilled Vegetable and Rice Salad

This delicious grilled vegetable and rice salad is sure to be a new favorite recipe for your next backyard barbecue or quick weeknight dinners. I know we often think of pasta salad as the “go-to” barbecue dish, but this rice salad is such a flavorful showstopper of a dish.

It’s made with the very best that summer has to offer. Fresh summer veggies like zucchini, bell pepper, and romaine all come together with perfectly cooked Lundberg White Basmati Rice. Then, for even more incredible flavor, a lemon basil vinaigrette is drizzled over the salad to pull everything together.

I love how easy this salad is to make and that you can take advantage of the warmer weather to do most of the cooking on the grill. You will love it!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Basmati Rice: In a salad like this, you want the rice to have a nice fluffy texture, with distinct individual kernels instead of clumping on itself. For this recipe I used Lundberg Organic California White Basmati Rice, which is a long, thin grain rice. It’s a  great choice for dishes like salads or pilafs because it won’t clump together when cooked. Plus, it’s USDA organic, certified gluten free, and so high quality which makes it a delicious option for absolutely everyone!

Grilled Veggies: Fresh grilled veggies like zucchini, romaine, bell peppers, and onions all come together to make this salad nice and hearty. Grilling the veggies before making the salad adds such a delicious flavor. I even like to grill a lemon to use in the lemon basil vinaigrette!

Fresh Basil: The flavor of fresh basil just screams summer and plenty of this herb is used in the salad.

Garlic: Be sure to use fresh garlic for the best results.

Lemon Juice: this is another ingredient that you want to use fresh. Lemon juice brightens up the dish and really helps to amplify the flavor.

Tips for the Best Salad

• Salt your rice water. To ensure that your rice is full of flavor, it’s  important to add a hefty pinch of salt to the water before cooking. The rice will absorb all of that salted water when cooked and perfectly seasoned. If you have questions about how best to cook the rice, be sure to follow the directions on the back of the Lundberg packaging for the absolute best results.
• Fluff the rice with a fork not a spoon. This will ensure that you get that perfectly fluffy rice texture!
• Let your rice cool. I like to make the rice first and then let it cool a bit while I grill the veggies. You want the salad to be slightly warm or room temperature when serving but not piping hot.
• Season the veggies. Add just a light sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil to your veggies before grilling.
• Don’t have a grill? Use a grill pan! You can easily gill your veggies indoors using a grill pan over medium-high heat if you do not have an outdoor grill. This salad will be just as delicious.

How to Make This Simple Salad

Step One: I like to start with making the rice first which gives it some time to cool before prepping the rest of the salad. To make the rice, add one cup Lundberg Organic California White Basmati Rice, one and a half cups of water, and one tablespoon of olive oil to a pot. Bring the rice to a boil and then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for fifteen minutes. Once fifteen minutes is up, you can remove the rice from the heat. Leave it covered and let it continue to steam for another ten minutes before fluffing with a fork. Let the rice cool while preparing the rest of the salad.

Step Two: Next, grill your veggies! Preheat your grill to high heat. Toss the veggies in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook the peppers, onion, and zucchini ten to fifteen minutes until they are tender but still have a little bite. To grill the head of romaine, just slice it down the middle, drizzle with a little oil, and then season with salt and pepper. Sear the lettuce for 2-3 minutes on the cut side until the lettuce is seared with grill marks.

Step Three: Next make the lemon basil vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh chopped basil to a small bowl. Whisk together until well combined.

Step Four: Now make the salad! Add the cooled rice and grilled veggies to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle on as much of the lemon basil vinaigrette as you like and then toss until everything is well combined.

Step Five: Transfer the salad to a serving platter and top with sliced green onion and crumbled feta cheese if you like. Enjoy!

How to Serve

This salad is perfect on it’s own but of course you can serve it with your favorite protein for an even more filling meal. Here are a few of my favorite options: 

• grilled and marinated chicken like these cilantro lime chicken thighs
• quick and easy steak like these garlic butter steak bites
• pair it with another hearty veggie like this perfectly roasted cauliflower

I hope you give this Grilled Vegetable and Rice Salad a try! It’s an absolutely delicious and fresh dish that is so easy to make!

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