The wholegrain brown rice salad with tomato and mozzarella is a healthy, flavorful variation of the classic summer dish, perfect for those looking for a light yet filling meal. Thanks to the use of brown rice, this preparation boasts a lower glycemic index and a pleasantly chewy texture that harmonizes wonderfully with the softness of fresh mozzarella. The addition of beefsteak tomatoes, peeled with a professional technique, makes the dressing velvety and fragrant, while the Taggiasca olives provide that unmistakable briny note. It’s an ideal rice salad for a quick lunch, a day trip or an outdoor buffet. Follow my technical tips to obtain perfectly separated, never sticky grains!
If you like baked rice recipes try the baked stringy rice or the boscaiola baked rice. Also delicious is Parmigiana-style baked rice or baked rice and potatoes.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 13 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients for your wholegrain brown rice salad
- 1 2/3 cups brown (wholegrain) rice (about 300 g / 10.6 oz)
- 2 mozzarella balls
- oz beefsteak tomatoes (about 200 g, roughly 1 1/8 cups chopped)
- 3 leaves basil
- 3.5 oz Taggiasca olives (about 100 g)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
Tools for preparing the rice salad
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- 1 Saucepan
Steps to prepare the wholegrain brown rice salad with tomato and mozzarella
Begin by bringing plenty of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the brown rice and cook following the package times, taking care to drain it very al dente. A key technical tip: avoid rinsing the rice under cold water so you don’t wash away flavor and nutrients. Once well drained, transfer it to a wide baking dish, immediately dress with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and fluff the grains with a fork. Let it cool to room temperature; this method allows the grains to finish cooking gently from residual heat, maintaining a perfect, separate texture.
While the rice rests, prepare the beefsteak tomatoes. Make a small cross incision on the bottom of each tomato and plunge them into boiling water for a couple of minutes. This “blanching” technique makes peeling the skin extremely easy without affecting the flesh. Drain them, cool them in an ice bath, then remove the skin and the firmer central core. Cut the flesh into regular cubes. This step is essential for your brown rice salad: removing the skin will release the tomato’s natural juices, creating a creamy dressing that will coat the rice grains without weighing them down.
While the rice rests, prepare the beefsteak tomatoes. Make a small cross incision on the bottom of each tomato and plunge them into boiling water for a couple of minutes. This “blanching” technique makes peeling the skin extremely easy without affecting the flesh. Drain them, cool them in an ice bath, then remove the skin and the firmer central core. Cut the flesh into regular cubes. This step is essential for your brown rice salad: removing the skin will release the tomato’s natural juices, creating a creamy dressing that will coat the rice grains without weighing them down.
Take the 2 mozzarella balls and cut them into cubes about 1 cm in size (about 3/8 inch). If you use buffalo mozzarella, be sure to let it drain in a sieve for at least 30 minutes before cutting it so it doesn’t water down the salad. In a large bowl, combine the now-cooled rice, the beefsteak tomato cubes and the mozzarella cubes. Add the pitted Taggiasca olives, which with their slightly bitter, oily flavor perfectly balance the sweetness of the tomato. Gently mix with a wooden spoon so as not to break up the mozzarella and to evenly distribute the colors of your vegetarian main dish.
To finish, perfume the wholegrain rice salad by tearing 3 fresh basil leaves by hand (avoid using a knife to prevent oxidation and to preserve the aroma). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then drizzle with a final splash of raw olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This technical rest is essential because it allows the rice to absorb the aromas of basil and tomato, making every forkful harmonious and tasty. Serve your fresh rice salad garnished with a few whole basil leaves.
Tips for a perfect result
Cooking brown rice: Remember that brown rice requires longer cooking times (usually 30-40 minutes). Check the texture in the final minutes: it should be tender but not hard, to avoid an rice salad that is too “chewy” when you bite it.
Quality oil: In such a simple recipe, the oil is the star. Use a medium-fruity extra virgin olive oil to enhance the freshness of the tomato and mozzarella.
Drying the ingredients: If the tomatoes release too much water after cutting, drain them slightly before adding to the rice. The goal is a glossy, moist salad, not a cold soup.
Tasty variations
Crunchy addition: Add 30 g of toasted pine nuts (about 1 oz, roughly 4 tbsp) or sliced almonds just before serving to bring a crunchy contrast to the softness of the beefsteak tomato.
Protein boost: If you want to make the dish heartier, add precooked chickpeas or cubes of smoked tofu pan-seared for a vegan version (replacing the mozzarella).
Lemon aroma: Grate a little zest of organic lemon into the dressing oil to give an irresistible citrusy freshness to your wholegrain salad.
Storage
In the refrigerator: The rice salad keeps well for 2 days in an airtight container. In fact, it is often even better the next day as the flavors meld.
Transport: It’s the perfect meal for the beach or the office. Just be sure to keep it in a cooler bag with an ice pack to keep the mozzarella fresh at the right temperature.
No freezer: I strongly discourage freezing: mozzarella and tomato would lose their texture completely, ruining the dish.
Now it’s your turn!
The wholegrain brown rice salad with tomato and mozzarella proves that eating healthy doesn’t mean giving up flavor. It’s a colorful, fragrant and incredibly simple dish to prepare.
How do you prefer your brown rice? Do you like it very al dente to really feel the fiber, or do you prefer it more cooked? Let me know in the comments if the tomato peeling technique was useful and whether the Taggiasca olives added that extra touch you were looking for!
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Can I use Venere (black) rice?
Certainly! Venere (black) rice is an excellent alternative to classic brown rice; it gives the dish a stunning color and a slight freshly-baked-bread aroma that pairs wonderfully with mozzarella.
Why did my brown rice turn out gummy?
It was probably cooked in too little water or not dressed immediately with oil after draining. Oil is essential to keep the grains separate while your rice salad cools.
Which mozzarella is best?
Fior di latte mozzarella is the most practical because it releases less liquid. If you use buffalo mozzarella, make sure it’s very fresh and squeeze it well before adding it to the other ingredients.
