If you’re looking for a delicious and nutritious way to kick off the new year, then look no further than this nourishing brown rice salad bowl recipe.

I like to call this my “Self-Care Salad” because it’s chock-full of nutritious ingredients that make it healthy, satisfying, and delicious.

It’s the perfect way to get some much-needed vitamins and minerals while still enjoying a tasty meal. Plus, it’s super easy to make! So get ready to whip up this delicious dish and enjoy the benefits of healthy eating. 

Here’s what goes in it: 1 cup of cooked and cooled brown rice, 2 cups of chopped kale, broccoli, cucumber, avocado, red cabbage, roasted beets, toasted walnuts and cilantro, all tossed with a lemon olive oil dressing you shake up in a jar. If your rice is already cooked, it’s ready in about 10 minutes, and it makes 2 large servings.

Ingredients

• Brown rice: You’ll need 1 cup of pre-cooked and cooled brown rice. Brown rice is a whole grain with plenty of fiber, and it keeps you full for a long time. Brown rice is also vegan-friendly and gluten-free, making it a great choice for many dietary preferences. You can make it at home (here’s how I cook brown rice), or grab a cup of cooked rice off the hot bar at your local grocery store.
• Kale: I used 2 cups of chopped kale. Kale is full of nutrients like fiber, iron, vitamin K, and C. It also adds a delicious earthy and nutty flavor to your brown rice salad bowl.
• Broccoli: Broccoli adds fiber and vitamin C, and it makes this salad nice and filling. You’ll need 1 cup of broccoli cut into florets and sliced. It also adds great texture and flavor to salads like this.
• Avocado: Avocado helps keep you full between meals. It’s creamy, delicious, and full of healthy fats. For this recipe, you’ll need one avocado, cut into cubes.
• Cucumber: I feel like cucumber is often overlooked even though it’s crunchy, refreshing and mostly water, so it’s great for hydration. You’ll need one sliced and quartered cucumber.
• Red cabbage: Add some color and crunch with ½ cup of thinly sliced red cabbage.
• Walnuts: You’ll need a ¼ cup of toasted walnuts to add some crunch to your salad. Walnuts are a great source of healthy fats, too.
• Beetroot: Another colorful and nutrient-packed vegetable, beets will add a deliciously sweet flavor to your salad. You’ll need a ¼ cup of roasted and cubed beets (here’s how I make easy roasted beets). You can also use julienned raw beets, or any beets you like in this brown rice salad.
• Cilantro: I use ⅛ cup of chopped cilantro, not just as a garnish but also because its fresh, bright flavor ties the whole salad together. If you don’t like cilantro, leave it out.
• Lemon Olive Oil Dressing: This dressing is really easy to make and works for most salads. It’s a quick mix of lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, honey, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar.

Check out the printable recipe card below for the recipe and detailed instructions.

Saving on Ingredients

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How To Make This Brown Rice Salad Bowl

1. Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss them together. 
2. Combine your salad dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake it well until everything is combined.
3. Toss the dressing and salad together.
4. Serve and enjoy!

If you’re a huge fan of salads like I am, and are looking for salads that are delicious and will fill you up, check out these 11 Awesome Salad Recipes here.

Cooking Time

55 minutes if you need to cook the rice.

10 minutes if your rice is already cooked.

Most ingredients in this recipe don’t need to be cooked, which makes it a great quick lunch to whip up. The only element that’s gonna take a bit of time and needs cooking is the rice, which will take about 40 minutes to cook.

Storing

I don’t recommend storing salads with greens for a long time since they tend to get soggy quite fast. But you can store this salad for up to 24 hours in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.

Yield

This recipe yields 2 large portions, or 3 depending on your preferred portion size.

Variations & Substitutions

• Salt-free: You can omit the salt for a low-salt diet.
• IBS-friendly: You can omit the broccoli and cabbage, and just add more of the other greens like kale and cucumber.
• Rice: You can replace the rice with whichever grain you prefer, like quinoa, barley or black rice.
• Vegan: You can replace the honey with maple syrup or molasses to make this recipe vegan.

Brown Rice Salad Bowl FAQs

Is brown rice salad served cold?

It’s meant to be eaten cold or at room temperature. That’s why the recipe calls for brown rice that’s already cooked and cooled; warm rice would wilt the kale and soften the avocado.

How can I add protein to this salad?

Sliced chicken is an easy add (my Oven Baked Chicken Breasts are perfect here). A can of rinsed chickpeas or a couple of hard-boiled eggs work well, too.

Can I make this brown rice salad ahead?

Make it up to 24 hours ahead and keep it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. For the best texture, keep the dressing in its jar and add the avocado right before you eat.

Can I use a different dressing?

Any vinaigrette you love will work. The lemon olive oil dressing is simple and bright, but you’ll find plenty of other options in my 9 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes.

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