This easy and vibrant crispy rice salad from Nigella Lawson is packed with crunchy green vegetables, salted cashews, and a tangy dressing. It’s a quick and nutritious dish that’s perfect as a side or light meal. With simple ingredients like rice, asparagus, and cavolo nero, it’s easily customizable to suit your taste.
Ingredients Needed
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 150g (5.3 oz) cold cooked rice
- 4 stalks cavolo nero (torn)
- 2 spring onions (finely chopped)
- 350g (12.3 oz) asparagus (finely sliced on the diagonal)
- 60g (2.1 oz) roasted and salted cashew nuts
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Dressing:
- Glug of olive oil (approx. 1 tbsp)
- 2 tablespoons coconut vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- Juice of 1 lime
How To Make Rice Salad
- Crisp the Rice: Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan (skillet) over medium heat. Add the cold rice, spread it out evenly, and press it into the oil. Cook undisturbed for 6 minutes, checking to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and leave to sit for 5 minutes to help release the rice.
- Prepare the Dressing: Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add the torn cavolo nero and massage it with your hands to soften. Add the spring onions and asparagus, then toss everything together.
- Combine and Serve: Crumble the crispy rice into the bowl, tossing to coat it in the dressing and vegetables. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Finally, sprinkle the roasted cashews on top and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Use cold rice: Make sure your rice is cold before cooking. Freshly cooked rice can be too soft and sticky for crisping, while cold rice gives you the perfect texture.
- Press the rice into the pan: When adding the rice to the pan, press it down gently with a spatula. This helps it crisp up evenly and adds extra crunch.
- Massage the cavolo nero: When adding the cavolo nero to the dressing, massage it with your hands for a minute. This helps it soften and soak up the dressing better.
- Crisp the rice in batches: If you’re making a large amount, crisp the rice in two or more batches. This ensures the rice crisps evenly without overcrowding the pan.
How To Store Leftovers?
Let the leftover crispy rice salad cool to room temperature. Once cooled, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 2 cups)
- Calories: 420
- Total Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Sodium: 590mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 39g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Sugars: 9g
- Protein: 11g
Try More Nigella Recipes:
Nigella Rice Salad
Description
This easy and vibrant crispy rice salad from Nigella Lawson is packed with crunchy green vegetables, salted cashews, and a tangy dressing. It’s a quick and nutritious dish that’s perfect as a side or light meal. With simple ingredients like rice, asparagus, and cavolo nero, it’s easily customizable to suit your taste.
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
Instructions
- Crisp the Rice: Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan (skillet) over medium heat. Add the cold rice, spread it out evenly, and press it into the oil. Cook undisturbed for 6 minutes, checking to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and leave to sit for 5 minutes to help release the rice.
- Prepare the Dressing: Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add the torn cavolo nero and massage it with your hands to soften. Add the spring onions and asparagus, then toss everything together.
- Combine and Serve: Crumble the crispy rice into the bowl, tossing to coat it in the dressing and vegetables. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Finally, sprinkle the roasted cashews on top and serve.
Notes
- Use cold rice: Make sure your rice is cold before cooking. Freshly cooked rice can be too soft and sticky for crisping, while cold rice gives you the perfect texture.
- Press the rice into the pan: When adding the rice to the pan, press it down gently with a spatula. This helps it crisp up evenly and adds extra crunch.
- Massage the cavolo nero: When adding the cavolo nero to the dressing, massage it with your hands for a minute. This helps it soften and soak up the dressing better.
- Crisp the rice in batches: If you’re making a large amount, crisp the rice in two or more batches. This ensures the rice crisps evenly without overcrowding the pan.
Nigella Rice Salad