Warm Indian Brown Rice Salad with Lemon & Vegetables

This vibrant, Warm Indian Rice Salad is a healthy and easy side salad to accompany your lunch or dinner. Soft, turmeric brown rice infused with garlic, onion, ginger, and lemon, paired with roasted, cumin spiced vegetables and chickpeas. Best of all, you can customise it with any vegetables you like!

I love Indian food such as curries but could never figure out what to serve with it instead of just plain rice. Problem solved! Not only is this easy rice salad recipe the perfect side for Middle Eastern or Indian food, but it is also jam-packed with flavour, cheap, and nutritious! The trick is infusing the brown basmati rice with turmeric, onion, garlic, ginger, and chicken stock.

Why this is the best Indian Brown Rice Salad

• Uses simple ingredients to make great flavours!
• It is super easy and relatively quick to make.
• It is completely customisable – so it’s a great recipe for a fridge clean out!
• Uses everyday ingredients that you can easily find at supermarkets.
• It is budget friendly at AUD$5 (~USD$3.30), which leaves a good chunk of change for the rest of the meal!
• Is very nutritious and good for you!

Is Indian Brown Rice Salad healthy?

Yes, it is! You get all the benefits of vegetables and wholegrains in this dish. So much more dietary fibre, antioxidants, and nutrients (than just plain rice). So not only will you feel good afterwards, but it will also help you stay fuller for longer (and prevent any unwanted snack raiding).

Brown rice vs white rice

Did you know that brown and white rice are actually the same grain? The way that rice is processed can heavily impact both its appearance and nutrition content. The two main types of rice you’ve likely come across in supermarkets are:

• Brown rice – The wholegrain version of rice, as it contains the the bran, germ and endosperm. The bran is the outer skin of the edible kernel which contains antixoidants, B vitamins and dietary fibre, whereas the germ contains B vitamins, some protein, healthy fats, as well as vitamins and minerals.
• White rice – The refined grain version of brown rice, in which food processing removes the bran and germ. All that remains is the endosperm which is mostly made of starchy carbohydrates, protein and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Both white and brown rice can come in many different varieties such as basmati rice, jasmine rice, short grain rice, and long grain rice.

Benefits of brown rice

Being a wholegrain, brown rice is a more nutritious alternative to white rice, and comes with many benefits such as:

• Contains more dietary fibre, particularly insoluble fibre, which adds bulk to stools and helps keep our bowel movements regular. Dietary fibre may help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Is a low GI food, meaning it is digested and absorbed more slowly into the blood stream, so it doesn’t cause rapid spikes in blood glucose levels.
• Has a good amount of manganese, which is used for processing of nutrients and plays a role in bone formation.
• Contains more magnesium, which is important for regulating blood pressure, blood glucose levels and lung function. Magnesium is also used for bone health, building of proteins and DNA.
• Also contains antioxidants, mainly located in the bran and germ layers Antioxidants may help protect cells from damage by free radicals.

Recipe suitability

This Warm Indian Brown Rice Salad really is a well-rounded, nutritious side! It is high in fibre, with 8g per serve, which makes it an excellent choice for supporting your gut health. However, this recipe only has a moderate amount of protein, at 6.5g per serve, which makes it a great side to serve with your main protein source. It is low in fat (including saturated fat), cholesterol, and sodium, making it a great, heart friendly choice. It is also gluten-free and vegan!

Ingredients for Indian Brown Rice Salad

KEY INGREDIENTS

• Brown basmati rice – Scroll up to read about the benefits of brown rice.
• Chickpeas – Are a great source of plant-based protein, which forms the building blocks for our body tissues, called “amino acids”. Chickpeas are also loaded with dietary fibre. However, the main micronutrient in chickpeas is potassium, which helps maintain normal fluid and electrolyte balance and assists with nerve impulses and muscle contractions (including our hearts!).
• Broccoli & cauliflower – Are both surprisingly high in vitamin C, which our bodies use to make collagen, a fibrous protein. Collage is used to strengthens our blood vessel walls, forms scar tissue and is used for bone growth. Vitamin C also strengthen our body’s ability to resist infections and acts as an antioxidant.
• Carrots – Are rich in beta-carotene, which our bodies convert into vitamin A and use to maintain our eye health. Vitamin A is also used for immune system function and supports cell growth. Carrots also contain a whole range of antioxidants (beta-carotene included). These antioxidants may help promote immune system function and other health benefits.
• Ginger – A classic in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking. According to research, ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and may help relieve symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

OTHER INGREDIENTS

• Onion & garlic – For extra flavour.
• Turmeric – A classic spice in Indian cuisine. Makes the rice yellow, but is also a much cheaper option than saffron. Turmeric also has very strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
• Cumin – Gives the veggies a nice earthy flavour.
• Chicken stock – Preferably reduced salt / low sodium stock. I used one Massel 7’s chicken style stock cube (which is also vegan) dissolved in 1 cup of water.
• Lemon rind & juice – For a touch of acidity.
• Extra virgin olive oil – A great healthy fat for cooking the vegetables.
• White pepper;

How to make Indian Brown Rice Salad

1. Preheat oven to 210°C / 410°F.
2. Place the chopped vegetables into a large bowl. Add the white pepper, turmeric, cumin, and extra virgin olive oil to the chopped vegetables and stir to mix.
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Pour the spiced vegetables into the tray and place into the oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway, or until the vegetables are soft when pricked with a fork.

4. Heat a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the medium saucepan and cook until the onion is soft and golden.
5. Add the chicken stock, turmeric and lemon juice to the medium saucepan, increase the heat to high and bring to the boil. Once boiling, pour in the brown basmati rice, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes with the lid on. We want the rice to absorb all the liquid and flavour. After 15 minutes, take the saucepan off the heat and let the rice sit for 10 minutes with the lid on. This will help make the rice nice and fluffy.

6. Once cooked, remove the baking tray from the oven and add the vegetables to a large bowl. Add the chickpeas, turmeric brown rice mix and lemon rind to the bowl, stir to mix.

7. Serve while warm as a side to your main meal!

Other ways to make Indian Brown Rice Salad

AIR FRYER

1. Preheat air fryer to 190°C / 380°F, if required.
2. Add the spiced vegetables to the air fryer basket/tray and cook for 8-10 minutes, shaking/turning halfway, or until they fork tender.
3. Follow the recipe above from step 4 onwards.

Serve with

• Butter chicken
• Lamb rogan josh
• Tofu tikka masala

Storage

This rice salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions

Substitutes & variations

• Other types of rice – Regular brown rice, red rice or wild rice will work for this recipe, but this will increase the cooking time. I do not recommend black rice, as it may turn the onion and garlic black.
• Other legumes – Canned lentils would be my next choice, then cannellini beans. I don’t see this recipe working with black beans or kidney beans.
• Hard boiled eggs – For extra protein and a creamy element.
• Tofu – I recommend using firm tofu cut into roughly 1cm cubes. You can either pan fry it, or bake it with the vegetables before adding to the salad.
• Fruit – Pomegranate tendrils, or chopped dried currants, raisins / sultanas or cranberries should work and add a touch of sweetness.
• Fresh herbs – Either coriander, parsley or chives would be my top choices.
• Nuts – Slivered almonds, cashews or pine nuts for a bit of crunch.
• Feta – Not exactly Indian, but I think it would work with this salad.

Other vegetables:

• Red onion – Thinly sliced, fresh or cooked.
• Pumpkin – Any variety should work.
• Sweet potato – I’d say stick with golden sweet potatoes, as I’m not sure how the flavour combination would work with purple sweet potatoes.
• Corn – Canned or frozen, add during step 6. If using canned, drain and rinse well to remove excess sugar and sodium.
• Peas – Preferably frozen, add during step 6.
• Silver beet / spinach – If using silver beet, I recommend pan frying it. Baby spinach you can either pan fry or toss through the salad at step 6, while it is still hot, and it should wilt.
• Capsicum / bell peppers – Can be either baked or pan fried.

Tips

Chop the vegetables to be roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

Turmeric is an absolutely wonder spice; however, be warned that it will turn anything it touches yellow (including fingers!). I highly recommend rinsing any cooking equipment that has been in contact with turmeric before placing it on benches (especially white benches!) or resting them on a plate.

Want more healthy salad recipes?

• Warm Broccolini Salad with Feta & Almonds
• Cannellini Bean Salad
• Curry Cauliflower Potato Salad

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Warm Indian Rice Salad

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Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes minutes

Total: 45 minutes minutes

Salad, Side Dish

Servings: 4 – 6

Tap or hover to scale

Ingredients

 

CupsMetric

Roast Vegetables

• ▢ 1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
• ▢ 1 cup cauliflower, cut into small florets
• ▢ 1 cup green beans, cut into 2cm pieces
• ▢ 1 cup carrot, halved and cut into 1cm slices
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (Note 2)
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cumin
• ▢ 1/4 tsp white pepper
• ▢ 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Turmeric Rice

• ▢ 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 small onion, finely diced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp ginger, grated
• ▢ 1 tsp ground turmeric (Note 2)
• ▢ 1 cup chicken stock (Note 3)
• ▢ 2 tsp lemon juice
• ▢ 1/3 cup water
• ▢ 2/3 cup brown basmati rice

Other

• ▢ 1 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed & drained
• ▢ 1/2 tsp lemon rind, finely grated

Cook ModePrevent screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 210°C / 410°F.
• Place the chopped vegetables into a large bowl. Add the white pepper, turmeric, cumin, and extra virgin olive oil to the chopped vegetables and stir to mix.
• Line a baking tray with baking paper. Pour the spiced vegetables into the tray and place into the oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway, or until the vegetables are soft when pierced with a fork.
• Heat a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the medium saucepan and cook until the onion is soft and golden.
• Add the chicken stock, turmeric and lemon juice to the medium saucepan, increase the heat to high and bring to the boil. Once boiling, pour in the brown basmati rice, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on. We want the rice to absorb all the liquid and flavour. After 15 minutes, take the saucepan off the heat and let the rice sit for 10 minutes with the lid on. This will help make the rice nice and fluffy.
• Once cooked, remove the baking tray from the oven and add the vegetables to a large bowl. Add the chickpeas, turmeric brown rice mix and lemon rind to the bowl, stir to mix.
• Serve the brown rice salad while warm as a side to your main meal!

Notes

1. Vegetables – You can use any vegetables you’d like, just measure out 4 cups using vegetables of your choice. If using asian greens instead of root vegetables, I recommend roughly chopping and sauteing them in a large frying pan until softened.
2. Turmeric – Beware the staining power of turmeric, it will turn anything it touches yellow (including fingers!). I highly recommend rinsing any cooking equipment that has been in contact with turmeric before placing it on benches (especially white benches!) or resting them on a plate.
3. Chicken stock – Tends to be quite high in excess sodium, where possible choose a stock that has ‘reduced / no added salt’. I used one Massel 7’s chicken style stock cube (which is also vegan) dissolved in 1 cup of water.
4. Additives – Try adding some slivered or roughly chopped whole almonds (with the skin on) to the salad when ready to serve!
5. Air fryer – Toss the seasoned vegetables into the air fryer and cook at 200°C / 390°F for 15 minutes or until they are cooked. If using a basket air fryer, shake it halfway through cooking to prevent the vegetables from burning.
6. Nutrition – Calculated per serve, assuming 4 serves.

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal (14%), Carbohydrates: 39g (13%), Protein: 6.5g (13%), Fat: 7.5g (12%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 2mg (1%), Sodium: 139mg (6%), Potassium: 654mg (19%), Fiber: 8g (33%), Sugar: 8g (9%), Vitamin A: 6.02IU, Vitamin C: 43mg (52%), Calcium: 90mg (9%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

Keywords brown rice, chickpeas, turmeric, warm salad

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