Confetti Rice Salad

This confetti rice salad recipe might appear to require lots of slicing and dicing, but truth be told, all the veggies can probably be prepped in less than 15 minutes. In fact, this would be a great recipe to set your benchmark, and then see how you improve over time. Or, just use a food processor to chop everything. Either way, this make-ahead dish will enliven any celebration with its delightful colors.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 284 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups boiling water
• ½ cup frozen green peas, thawed
• ½ cup green beans
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• ¼ cup sliced green onions
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
• ¾ cup olive oil, divided
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
• 3 carrots, peeled
• 2 large red bell peppers, diced
• 1 large orange bell pepper, diced
• ¾ cup sherry vinegar, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine rice, salt, and olive oil in a baking dish. Stir to coat rice completely. Pour in boiling water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until rice is tender, about 35 minutes.

Step 4

Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork until no large clumps remain. Let cool until barely warm and almost room-temperature.

Step 5

Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Slice carrots into long matchsticks. Boil carrots and green beans until beans are bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and dice vegetables.

Step 6

Transfer rice to a large mixing bowl. Add carrots, green beans, peas, onions, and bell peppers. Season with salt and cayenne. Pour in 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup oil. Mix thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to let flavors blend, 4 to 24 hours.

Step 7

Taste and season salad with more salt as needed. Pour in remaining vinegar and oil. Add dill and parsley and mix well. Let salad warm up slightly before serving, if desired.