Black Rice Pomegranate Seeds Salad Recipe
Have you ever try a black rice salad? This black rice pomegranate seeds salad is so fulfilling and it has a delicious salty-sweet taste that I love the most. It is an “easy” meal to have handy when I don’t know what to cook. And it’s plant-based, Guys !
It’s a must try for lunch, it keeps you (or the kids) full for the rest of the day ! This means no more cravings in the afternoon.
It requires only 6 ingredients : black rice, 2 spring onions, few hazelnuts, few pomegranate seeds, 1 lemongrass stick and sauteed carrots. I love to add a simple dressing (olive oil, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar).
Last but not least, this black rice salad recipe is so easy, while cooking the rice, you chop the other ingredients, you sautee the carrots and you combine and mix the 3 ingredients for the dressing. Nothing much.
What type of rice do I love to cook?
I always go for brown, red or black rice because these are super nutritious and packed with fiber (while white is refined meaning that all nutrients are gone).
The black rice has a deep dark color that I love in this recipe. It has a great sweet and delicious nutty flavor that is very tasty either you eat it cold or warm.
Let’s be honest, black is my favorite ! On special occasions (because it’s a bit pricey), I like to use and cook black ‘wild’ rice. Again, the taste is a deep earthy and toasty flavor that will work perfectly for this salad.
Swap the ingredients for this black rice salad recipe
If you are running out of spring onions, go for half red onion finely sliced. You can swap the hazelnuts for some pecan nuts or even walnuts. And you can definitely replace the carrots by sweet potato cubes or beetroot cubes because why not.
This salad is a delicious dish or side dish for almost everything. You could add some crunchy green leaves -like kale leaves- or spinach into it too.
I like to serve it very cold when we have a lunch by the pool or warm during winter season.
Therefore, it’s a great dish for all year long.
Top Tip
Black rice is full of antioxidants, fiber and vitamin E (good for eye, skin and immune health obviously). Additionally, it seems to help to slow down absorption of sugar.
Again I use to cook a big batch of black rice and to keep the leftover in the fridge for few days. I use it too for my multi-colored grain free wrap or rainbow salad bowl !
My kids love it as well and it’s a must try with them (keep it up) as its taste is really pleasant.
Healthy black rice pomegranate seeds salad and ….
Nutty, crunchy, fresh & hearty !
If you make it
If you make the black rice pomegranate seeds salad, tag me on Instagram as @live.and.taste and use #liveandtaste hashtag.
Feel free to ask me any question or leave me a comment (reply) below the recipe, I will be thrilled to reply to you.
Healthy greetings from Laetitia
BLACK RICE POMEGRANATE SEEDS SALAD
Ingredients
- 1 cup black rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 stalks spring onions, chopped, (or ½ red onion finely sliced)
- 1 handful hazelnuts or pecan nuts or walnuts, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1-2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 handful fresh pomegranate seeds
- 1 stalk lemongrass, chopped very thin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse well the black rice before cooking and cook the rice following the instructions on the packet. Or, place the rice in a saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes (until all water is absorbed).
- In the meantime, chop the carrots into small pieces. Heat some avocado oil or olive oil in a large pan and add the carrots. Cook for few minutes without stirring. Then continue to saute until brown (approx. 5 min). Set aside in a large serving bowl.
- Chop the spring onions and lemongrass. Add them to the large serving bowl with the carrots.
- Toast hazelnuts (pecans or walnuts) in a frying pan for about 1 minute or so. It doesn’t require any oil. Add them to the serving bowl too.
- Once rice is cooked, add it to the serving bowl and mix it well, adding the pomegranate seeds.
- Mix all the ingredients for the dressing (olive oil, maple syrup, white vinegar and salt and pepper to taste). Add it to the rice salad and stir well.
- Place it in the fridge to cool down or eat it warm.
