The cold rice salad with tuna, cooked ham, peas, and black olives is the perfect summer dish when you have little time but still want something fresh, tasty, and complete. In just 15 minutes, you can prepare a super practical cold main dish, perfect for the beach, work, picnics, or to serve for a light and colorful dinner.
It’s a simple and quick rice salad, made with few ingredients always present in the pantry: rice, canned tuna, cooked ham, black olives, and peas. The mix of sweet and savory flavors makes it truly irresistible for both adults and children. If you want to give it an extra touch, you can also add lemon zest or chopped parsley!
A versatile and customizable base recipe that you can enrich with whatever you have in the fridge. Save this version: it’s one of my favorites!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients for the Cold Rice Salad with Tuna, Ham, Peas, and Black Olives
- 1 1/2 cups rice for salads
- 5.6 oz tuna
- 5.3 oz cooked ham
- 3.5 oz frozen peas
- 1.8 oz black olives
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- lemon zest
Tools
Preparation of the Cold Rice Salad with Tuna, Ham, Peas, and Black Olives
Cook the rice in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package. Drain and immediately run it under cold water to stop the cooking.
Boil the peas for 5 minutes if frozen, then drain and let them cool.
Dice the cooked ham and drain the tuna well.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, crumbled tuna, cooked ham, peas, and pitted black olives cut into rings or left whole, depending on preference.Season with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, and, if you like, some grated lemon zest and a bit of chopped parsley.
Mix well and let rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. The longer it rests, the better it gets!
Storage
You can store the rice salad in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I recommend giving it a good stir before serving and adding a drizzle of olive oil to freshen it up.
Tips
If you don’t have peas, you can replace them with corn or diced grilled zucchini.
For a vegetarian version, omit the tuna and use only vegetables and diced cheese.
Black olives give it a bold flavor: try them with Taggiasca olives for a more aromatic touch.
You can also use brown rice or basmati for a lighter variation.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is the best type of rice for cold salad?Parboiled rice is ideal because it holds its shape well when cooked, but Ribe or Basmati rice also works great.
How to prevent the salad from becoming dry?
Dress it with olive oil just before serving, or add a spoonful of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt for a creamier result.
