The SPRING RICE SALAD is a fresh and indulgent first course, perfect for a quick lunch or to offer at a buffet or to take on a picnic in the warm season, when you want good but light and colorful food. It is an easy dish and also very convenient, because it can be prepared the day before you want to eat it, of course keeping it well stored in the refrigerator.
What makes this recipe stand out among the many variations is the abundance of vegetables and legumes: the sweetness of the peas and corn, the herbaceous flavor of the fava beans and the savory note, with a touch of acidity, of the sun-dried tomatoes combine wonderfully and give a unique taste to this salad. I also add some cooked ham to make it even richer, but if you have vegetarian friends it can be omitted without any problem.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups (about 9 oz) parboiled rice
- 1 1/2 cups (about 9 oz) peas
- 1 1/2 cups (about 9 oz) fava beans (weight when shelled)
- 3.5 oz cooked ham (in one single slice)
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 cup (about 5.3 oz) sweet corn
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- lemon zest
Steps
The preparation of the SPRING RICE SALAD is very easy and quick.
Boil the frozen or fresh peas in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and cool them in cold water.
Shell the fava beans and cook them for 1 minute, drain them, transfer to cold water and, once the cooking is stopped, remove their skins.
Cook the rice in plenty of salted water, a bit more than usual. Drain it and cool it in cold water.
Place the rice, peas and fava beans in a large bowl. Add the cooked ham cut into cubes, the chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, the corn, thin strips of lemon zest and dress with olive oil and salt.
Mix everything well and transfer to the fridge for at least 1 hour so that all the flavors blend perfectly.
