The classic rice salad is the quintessential summer cold dish, or rather it is the recipe my mom always made when I was little. Back then, I didn’t really eat anything, or anyway nothing that had to do with fresh seasonal vegetables. So my mom often made this cold rice, with tempting, colorful, and tasty ingredients. A bit like the savory cold pasta, but with some small modifications. A rich and delicious cold dish you can’t resist having seconds of, and just as you finish the last bite, you say: yes, just a little more, because it’s too good!
Quick and easy to make, where the only ingredients that need cooking are the rice cooked in a pressure cooker and the eggs. The particular taste is definitely given by the dressing prepared with an emulsion of mustard, oil, salt, and pepper, which makes this rice salad even more special. Perfect to prepare in advance and store in the refrigerator until just before serving. I’m sure this recipe will also be very popular with the little ones in the house. Now follow me in the kitchen because the classic rice salad will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other rice salad recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 474.37 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 44.23 (g) of which sugars 1.05 (g)
- Proteins 18.85 (g)
- Fat 25.15 (g) of which saturated 9.55 (g)of which unsaturated 9.20 (g)
- Fibers 2.47 (g)
- Sodium 2,361.93 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 260 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 egg
- 3 oz black olives
- 3 oz green olives
- 3 oz cooked ham (diced)
- 4.5 oz provolone cheese
- 1.75 oz pickled gherkins
- 0.75 oz pickled capers
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Tools
- Pressure cooker
- Small pot
- Bowl
- Cutting board
- Knife
Steps
First, cook the rice in the pressure cooker. Put it in the pot with the water and coarse salt and close the pot, bringing it to maximum power. Once it starts to whistle, cook the rice for 4 minutes. Of course, cooking times are indicative and may vary depending on the type of pot you have. Alternatively, you can cook the rice in plenty of salted water, extending the cooking times and following the instructions on the package.
After the cooking time, gradually release the steam, open the pot, and drain the rice. Then pass it under cold water and transfer it to a bowl with a drizzle of oil and let it cool.
Now place the egg at room temperature in a small pot with cold water and cook for 12 minutes. It’s important that the egg is at room temperature to prevent it from breaking during cooking and to be easier to peel. After the cooking time, transfer the egg to a bowl with cold water to cool it down. Then peel it and cut it in half and then into slices.
Prepare now the emulsion that will become the rice salad dressing. Mix in a bowl the oil with mustard, salt, and oil. Then add the emulsion to the rice and mix. This way it will start to absorb the dressing and make the cold rice even tastier.
Then cut the gherkins into slices and the provolone into cubes and add them to the rice along with the green and black olives, the sliced egg, and the ham. Mix all the ingredients until well combined with the rice.
The classic rice salad is ready! You can serve it immediately, but it’s better if you store it in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. This way, the rice will absorb the dressing better and will certainly be tastier.
Variations and tips for classic rice salad
The classic rice salad can be stored in the refrigerator for one or two days in a container with a lid. If you like, you can enrich the cold rice by adding canned tuna and cherry tomatoes, and if you like, even corn.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What rice is used for rice salad?
For my recipes, I use Carnaroli rice because I prefer it over all other types. Usually, however, for this type of recipe, parboiled rice is recommended. A type of rice that doesn’t overcook because parboiling makes the rice more resistant to cooking. During this thermal process, the rice takes on a yellowish color that makes it recognizable.
How much rice per person?
As you may have noticed, in my rice salad recipes I usually always use the same amount, which is 200g total. To be more precise, in case you want to halve or increase the quantities: 70g for risottos, 60g for paella, 80g for venere rice, 60g for rice salads, and 50g for soups.
How do you cook rice in a pressure cooker?
Here’s an article where you can find all the tips and advice on how to boil rice or prepare risottos in a pressure cooker, and you can also find many recipes for rice and risottos cooked in a pressure cooker.
How do I weigh rice without a scale?
How to measure the amount of rice to cook. How many times has this happened to me, but you can also calculate the correct dose without using a scale. So let me tell you right away that you can use a tablespoon which equals 20g of rice. Alternatively, you can take a handful of rice as a reference which equals 70g
