Curried Rice Salad with Pineapple

This curried rice salad with pineapple is a quick and easy dish that’s bursting with flavor. With just a few simple ingredients and a light yogurt dressing, this fruity dish is perfect for your next cookout or as a cold entrée.

Ingredients

You will only require a few simple ingredients to create this rice and pineapple salad:

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• Rice: Basmati rice works best for this salad due to its texture and taste. A perfect complement to the salad’s fruity flavor palette. Of course, you are more than welcome to use any other type of rice. For instance, jasmine rice will result in a somewhat mushier salad, which some might even prefer. But, for best results, stick with basmati rice.

• Red Bell Peppers: Besides being a literal vitamin C bomb, adding a bell pepper to this salad will also throw in a little crunch. If you prefer yellow or green bell peppers, go ahead, and add either one of those.

• Pineapple: Canned pineapple gives this salad its typical fruity and mighty delicious taste. I would suggest using pineapple in 100% pineapple juice, which can be found in pretty much any store. It really doesn’t matter if you grab chunks of pineapple, crushed, or sliced. If sizing needs adjusting, you can always just chop them up to match your preference.

• Corn: Canned corn in combination with pineapple gives this salad an especially tropical feel and taste. Please use whole-kernel sweet corn of whichever brand your store carries for this recipe. This is no place for creamed corn! That would take our recipe in a completely different direction.

• Spring onions (or scallions): Lastly, tossing spring onions into the mix will give this salad a subtle heat kick. For a more intense flavor, opt to use “regular” onions instead. Although, you might be missing out on the nice touch of color by omitting spring onions.

Topped off with a simple but extremely flavorful dressing made with yogurt (no mayo), oil, vinegar, and some of the canned pineapple juice you set aside earlier, et voilà, the tropical rice salad is done!

Instructions

The fruity curried rice salad is very easy to prepare:

Let’s get started on our rice. Cook the rice as per package instructions. Preferably, though, by applying the classical method on the stovetop using water.

If in doubt, just add the rice along with salt, curry powder, and turmeric to approximately ½ gallon of water, bring it to a boil, then let it simmer for about 10-12 minutes. Drain it afterward and allow time for cooling as well.

If you prefer preparing your rice using the so-called absorption method, make sure to use a bit less of the spices indicated above. Just to keep your rice’s flavor intensity at bay. 😉

Additionally, if you are an enthusiast of rice cookers, you may also take advantage of that handy tool to prepare your rice. One can never have too many options. 😉 (Note: Same as with the absorption method, use less of the spices indicated.)

While cooking the rice and setting it aside for cooling, you might as well get a head start on the remaining ingredients along with our delicious dressing. Efficiency is our goal here. 😉

Start by washing your red bell pepper, cutting it in half, removing the core and seeds, then continue chopping it into bite-sized chunks.

Next, drain the canned pineapple but make sure to set some of its juice aside for later use. We’ll need some of that “sunshine” juice when preparing our dressing. If you opted for buying sliced pineapple (or if it’s what you had in your pantry), go ahead and cut it into smaller bite-sized pieces.

Open your canned corn and drain it well using a strainer.

Now, thoroughly wash your spring onions, let them dry off, and cut them into small chunks or rings. Don’t be stingy with the spring onions, either. The “more the merrier” applies in this case. Not only do they pair perfectly in terms of flavor, but also add such a beautiful splash of color to the dish. 😉

Let’s move on to the dressing. In a container (screw top) or salad dressing jar, combine yogurt, olive oil, water, white balsamic vinegar, and some pineapple juice. Season well with salt, black pepper, and paprika, close the lid and shake well.

If the dressing’s consistency isn’t quite to your liking or preference yet, go ahead and add some more liquid. Either some water or pineapple juice. Totally up to you! You could also just wait until you’ve mixed the dressing with the rice and make a call then! 😉

Last but not least, let’s combine all of our ingredients. Please note, that the rice doesn’t have to be completely cooled off, warm to the touch would be perfectly fine.

Toss rice, bell peppers, pineapple, corn, and spring onions into a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the mixture and then combine well.

Do a quick taste test and if you’re not performing a little wiggly happy dance yet (or is it just me?), I’d highly suggest seasoning your new creation a bit more until said “dance challenge” is fulfilled. 😉

Perfect Pairings

This pineapple rice salad is the perfect main course or entrée on a hot summer’s day. In need of a little “cool-off”? Check! Need a little boost to push through the rest of the day? Check!

Its crisp fruitiness will be a welcome and wonderfully refreshing change and re-energize your senses. Now, if you are not necessarily looking for a vegetarian dish, feel free to add some roasted chicken breast or shrimp to take it to the next level.

With its quick and easy setup, it is also extremely meal prep friendly, as you can easily throw everything together the day before.

Our tropical rice salad is the ideal addition to any barbecue. However, I’d recommend keeping an eye on the attending size of the barbecue party, as you may have to double up on the ingredients (this recipe yields 8 servings).

FAQ

More healthy salad recipes

Looking for similar simple and healthy salad recipes? Try these:

Mediterranean risoni salad

Quinoa salad with mango and avocado

Red lentil pasta salad

Couscous tomato salad