Cold Rice with Vegetables and Tuna. Delicious, fresh, and colorful, rice salad is one of the most appreciated dishes of the summer! When the heat arrives, it certainly cannot be missing.
Quick to prepare, for a quick lunch or dinner, cold rice is also ideal to take with you to the beach or on picnics. Great for lunch breaks too.
A unique dish loved by everyone, kids love it too for its cheerful colors!
You can get creative to prepare many tasty rice salads, great allies to empty the fridge!
I don’t particularly like ready-made dressings, even though they are practical and quick to use.
I like to use fresh vegetables, tuna, a real treat!
It turns out to be a valid ally in diets where pasta is not expected and has a great satiating power.
Rice has many positive properties, so just be careful with the dressings it is paired with.
Rice with tuna, bell peppers, zucchini, and peas is really easy and delicious to prepare and as I mentioned, it’s also very flavorful: I added basil leaves that give the dish a truly unmistakable taste! A complete and light dish.
If you want to prepare a vegetarian version, replace the tuna with lactose-free primo sale cheese or chickpeas for a vegan version.
Alright, let’s get to the recipe and see how to prepare this delicious rice salad together
In our pantry, you can’t miss canned tuna, basil, and any vegetables you find in the fridge, so let’s head to the stove.
Because it’s a dish to prepare and eat … Good and beautiful and light.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 431.51 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 68.81 (g) of which sugars 3.65 (g)
- Proteins 15.87 (g)
- Fat 10.72 (g) of which saturated 1.46 (g)of which unsaturated 0.26 (g)
- Fibers 3.14 (g)
- Sodium 940.88 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 190 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 for Cold Rice with Vegetables and Tuna
- 1.5 cups rice for salads
- 2 bell peppers (1 red 1 yellow)
- 1 zucchini (large or two medium)
- 3.5 oz frozen peas
- 1 can tuna in water (5.6 oz drained weight)
- to taste basil
- 1 lemon (juice)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- Pan
- Pot
- Colander
- Bowl
Steps for Cold Rice with Vegetables and Tuna
To prepare the rice salad, I always prefer to use parboiled rice, which holds its shape well during cooking, keeping the grains firm and well-separated.
Boil the rice in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package of the rice you are using.
Drain it al dente and transfer it to a large bowl.
Season it with 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and mix well.
Let it cool.
Take the zucchini, after washing and drying it, remove the two ends and cut it into cubes or slices, depending on the final result you want to achieve.
It’s time for the bell peppers… red, green, and yellow. “But you can use the color you prefer.”
The peppers should be deprived of the stalk, seeds, and internal filaments, and then rinsed under plenty of cold running water.
Cut the peppers into small cubes and set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan.
Add the zucchini and peppers first, then shortly after add the frozen peas.
Sauté over high heat to brown them well, it will take 5 minutes.
Lower the heat, add 2 tablespoons of water, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Cook over high heat for a few more minutes.
Adjust salt and pepper, bring to cooking, but the vegetables should remain colorful and crunchy.
Turn off the heat.
Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and let them cool
When completely cold, add the well-drained tuna and a few basil leaves, and mix to combine the flavors.
Now pour the rice into a salad bowl and season it with 3 tablespoons of oil and one of lemon.
(If the lemon is organic, I also recommend grating the peel).
Add the vegetables; mix everything well, adjusting salt if necessary.
Let the rice rest for an hour in the refrigerator.Serve the rice, garnished with some basil leaves.
Enjoy your meal.
Tips
For a richer version, you can add tuna, shrimp, or roasted chicken to your free imagination.
Cold rice can be stored for a maximum of one day, hermetically sealed and stored in the fridge. Before being served again, it should be left for at least an hour outside the fridge to return to the right temperature for consumption.
If you liked this recipe, click on many stars, thank you so much.
See you in my group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/488624465780860
or on my page: https://www.facebook.com/gustoamoreefantasie
Return to Home page
Return to Home page
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use brown rice?
Yes
What can I use instead of tuna?
For a richer version, you can add cubed cheese or shrimp or roasted chicken to your free imagination.
