Savor a refreshing Greek rice salad topped with a homemade Greek vinaigrette. This salad draws inspiration from traditional Greek flavors and ingredients, offering a unique and exciting recipe. Additionally, it provides a good protein source, thanks to the chickpea rice.
Creating great side dish recipes can elevate a meal from boring to crave-worthy. For more delicious options, consider spinach salad with mandarin oranges, carrot ribbon salad, or broccoli salad with cranraisins.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Great source of protein
- Quick and Easy - Done in under 30 minutes
- Vegetarian, Gluten Free, and Low FODMAP
Featured Ingredients
- Homemade Greek Dressing - Use this homemade recipe for a quick Greek vinaigrette.
- Chickpea Rice - A rice made out of chickpeas. It has a great texture and adds protein. It reminds me of orzo. We love to use Banza rice.
- Kalamata Olives - Briney olives are perfect for Greek flavors.
- Grape Tomatoes - Sweet little tomatoes. Adds a little bit of sweetness to the salad.
- Pepperconini Peppers - These are not too spicy but add so much flavor.
- Feta Cheese - Love this creamy cheese. Buy a block of feta cheese and crumble it for the creamiest cheese option.
- English Cucumbers - Seedless cucumbers that don’t add too much water to the salad.
- Lemon Juice - A punch of bright flavor to wake up the flavors.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the Greek dressing recipe in a small bowl or a wide-mouth mason jar. Set aside.
This step can be done in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to mix into the salad.
Step 2: Cook the chickpea rice according to the package directions. Rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
Step 3: On a cutting board, dice and chop up the cucumber, grape tomatoes, and kalamata olives.
Step 4: Crumble the feta cheese with a fork to break up the block.
Step 5: In a large mixing bowl, add the chopped cucumber, grape tomatoes, and olives. Next, add the crumbled feta cheese. Gently stir.
Add the cooked chickpea rice once it is cool. Pour the Greek dressing over the ingredients and stir. Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will give the salad flavors time to meld. Top with optional fresh chopped parsley.
Tips
Meal prep this rice salad for lunch! Add a few slices of Greek yogurt marinated grilled chicken.
Double the Greek dressing recipe. It is great to add to the salad the next day.
Cooking Chickpea Rice
Learn from my mistake: rinse chickpea rice only after cooking, unlike regular rice. All the grains clumped together. Boiling didn’t help, and whisking only created more foam. It wasn’t good. Follow the directions on the package for best results!
Variations
- Add More Veggies: Add a diced red pepper, baby spinach, or chopped romaine. To make this more of a lettuce salad versus a rice salad.
- Creamy Dressing: Make homemade tzatziki sauce from nonfat plain Greek yogurt. Add a dollop of it to each serving for a creamy dressing option. The best part - it adds more protein to this salad!
- Greek pasta salad: Swap the chickpea rice for chickpea pasta noodles!
Storing
Store: Keep the salad covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. If the salad dries out, add a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or make another batch of the Greek dressing.
FAQs
No, but adding salt to boiling water enhances the flavor of your chickpea rice, which is crucial for building flavor.
It isn’t as chewy as plain rice. The grains are larger and have a neutral taste, making it a perfect base for flavoring. It offers fewer net carbs than brown or white rice, providing a nutritious option for various dietary needs.
Chickpeas contain oligosaccharides, or Oligos, which are part of the FODMAP acronym. The Monash App states that 1 cup of cooked chickpeas is safe. Always listen to your body and adjust according to your tolerance levels.
What To Serve With Greek Rice Salad
This flavorful salad goes great with grilled chicken marinated in Greek yogurt. Or if the weather is not cooperating, make Instant Pot Greek chicken. Both options created tender, flavorful chicken. Serve with toasted pita bread.
Additional Greek Recipes
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Greek Rice Salad
Ingredients
- Homemade Greek Dressing (½ cup)
- 8 ounces chickpea rice (Note 1)
- 1 cup English cucumbers chopped (Note 2)
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives chopped (Note 3)
- ½ cup grape tomatoes chopped
- 4 whole pepperoncini peppers chopped
- 8 ounces feta cheese block crumbled (Note 4)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- fresh Italian parsley optional
Instructions
- Mix the Greek dressing and set aside. This step can also be done in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
- Make the chickpea rice according to the package instructions. Drain in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- On a cutting board, dice the cucumber into a fine dice. Next, slice the kalamata olives and grape tomatoes in half. Slice the pepperoncini peppers. Put all chopped veggies into a large mixing bowl.
- With a fork, crumble the feta cheese into small crumbles. Put into the bowl.
- Add the cooled chickpea rice to the bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the ingredients and gently stir until everything is coated. Cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. This will give the ingredients time to meld.
- Store the salad, covered, in the refrigerator. Before serving add chopped fresh Italian parsley if using.
Venessa Mandelkow says
We paired this rice salad with diced Greek chicken and served toasted pitas on the side with tzatziki. There was no leftovers!