I wanted something to go with the leftover grilled steak and chicken I brought home from a family barbecue the other night and this delicious brown rice salad with chickpeas, green chiles, tomatoes, cilantro, and a cumin and lime vinaigrette really fit the bill.
Although this was just a quick lunch I threw together from what I could find in my fridge and pantry, it was delicious and I would definitely make it again.
This brown rice salad recipe works well as either a side dish or a light vegetarian main course for lunch. Top it with thinly sliced grilled chicken, steak, or tempeh and you have a hearty and delicious summer meal.
Feel free to play with ingredient amounts to suit your own taste. I think it would be great topped with some sliced avocado and roasted pepitas. A sprinkle of queso fresco or Cotija cheese would be great as well.
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Yields 4 servings as a side dish, 2 servings as a main course
Save RecipeIngredients
1 small clove garlic, peeled and smashed
generous pinch of kosher salt
zest and juice of one lime (about 2 tablespoons of juice)
1 teaspoon ground cumin*
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cooked brown rice, cooled
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons chopped green chiles (I used canned)
1/2 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Put garlic clove and salt in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork to form a paste. Add lime juice, zest, and cumin. Whisk lime juice mixture together then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste, adjust salt as needed; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine brown rice, garbanzo beans, chopped green chiles, tomatoes, and cilantro. Add dressing and toss gently to combine. Can be served immediately. If made ahead and refrigerated, allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
*Cumin is much more flavorful if you start with whole seeds, toast them, then grind them yourself. I toasted one teaspoon of whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet just until fragrant then ground them into a powder using a clean coffee grinder.
Roasted pepitas would be a good addition.
Related Recipes:
- How to Cook Perfect Brown Rice
- Cilantro Caesar Salad with Carne Asada
- Herbed Tuna Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
- Orange Cranberry Salad with Walnuts and Blue Cheese
- Rice Pilaf with Raisins and Pine Nuts
- Whole Wheat Green Orzo Salad
Around the Web:
- Wild Rice Salad from Simply Recipes
- Broccoli Rice Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
- Fresh Asparagus Rice Salad from Eating Out Loud
- Brown Rice Salad with Turkey, Red Cabbage and Pecans from Kalyn’s Kitchen
- Chicken and Wild Rice Salad from Culinary in the Country
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