Christmas Rice Salad, the Aussie Classic

This Christmas rice salad is the one that turns up at every Aussie Christmas lunch, barbecue and school break-up. Fluffy rice, corn, capsicum, peas and sultanas in a light curry dressing. Bright, cheap and it feeds heaps.

Best part? It’s better made the day before. One less thing to do on the 25th.

Rice that doesn’t go gluggy

The whole salad lives or dies on the rice. You want every grain separate, not a sticky clump.

• Use long grain white rice. Basmati or jasmine work too. Skip arborio or sushi rice, they’re made to be sticky.
• Rinse it first until the water runs pretty clear.
• Spread it out on a tray to cool. It cools fast and stops it steaming itself soft.
• Dress it while it’s still a little warm. The rice soaks up the dressing better.

The curry powder is only a teaspoon. It’s there for a gentle warmth and that golden colour, not heat. Kids eat it no worries.

Christmas Rice Salad

Recipe by Ella McKenzie

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Salad, SideCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A classic Aussie rice salad with corn, capsicum, peas, spring onion, sultanas and toasted almonds in a light curry and soy dressing. Serves 8 as a side.

Ingredients

• Salad

• 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed

• 1 red capsicum, diced

• 1 cup corn kernels, tinned and drained or frozen and thawed

• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup sultanas

• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• Dressing

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon mild curry powder

• 1 teaspoon honey

• Salt and pepper

Directions

• Cook the rice in a large pot of boiling salted water for 12 to 14 minutes until just tender. Drain well.
• Spread the rice out on a large tray and leave it to cool for about 15 minutes, until just warm.
• Shake the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, curry powder and honey together in a jar. Season with salt and pepper.
• Tip the warm rice into a big bowl and pour over most of the dressing. Toss well.
• Add the capsicum, corn, peas, spring onion and sultanas. Toss again, cover and refrigerate until cold.
• Just before serving, stir through the rest of the dressing, then scatter over the almonds and parsley.

Notes

• Cool the rice fast: spread it on a tray and get it in the fridge within an hour of cooking.
• Save some dressing: the rice soaks it up overnight, so keep a little back to freshen it before serving.
• Almonds last: add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
• Bigger crowd: it doubles easily for 16.

Swap it up

Want to make it a meal? Toss through shredded chicken or some leftover Christmas ham.

If it’s not quite right

• Gluggy: the rice was overcooked or not rinsed. Cook it until just tender and spread it out to cool.
• Dry the next day: totally normal. Stir in the dressing you saved, or a splash of oil and vinegar.
• Bland: it needs salt. Cold food always needs a bit more seasoning than you think.

Making it ahead

Make it the day before and keep it covered in the fridge. Keep the almonds and parsley separate, and add them just before you serve.

Cooked rice needs a bit of care. Get it in the fridge within an hour of cooking, keep the salad cold, and eat it within 2 days. On a hot day, don’t leave it sitting out on the table for more than a couple of hours.

Frequently asked questions

This Christmas rice salad is cheap, easy and always gets scraped clean. Make it the night before and cross it off the list.

Merry Christmas,
Ella x