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crispy rice salad in a white bowl with wicker background

crispy rice salad

This Southwest crispy rice salad recipe is my take on the viral salad. It’s filling and perfect as a meal. The honey chipotle vinaigrette adds a sweet and smoky tang, while all the veggies and the crispy rice add crunch. Using shredded cabbage makes it hold up well in the fridge, so you could pack it for lunch if you wanted.
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Ingredients
  

For the dressing

  • 2 tbsp chipotle sauce
  • Juice of 2 medium limes
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 medium clove garlic grated
  • ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad

  • 2 cups (300 g) leftover, cooked rice
  • 2 tsp neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp chipotle sauce
  • 4 cups (280 g) shredded red cabbage about half a medium head of cabbage
  • 1 (75 g) carrot peeled and cut into coins
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • ½ cup (50 g) green onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup (4 g) cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp Cotija cheese crumbled

Instructions
 

Make the crispy rice

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven preheats, place the rice on a medium or large baking sheet. Drizzle the oil and chipotle sauce on top. Using clean or gloved hands, break up the rice into small pieces and mix in the oil and sauce. Mix until evenly coated and the very few clumps of rice remain. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring the rice halfway through. The rice will be crispy and starting to brown. Set it aside.

Make the dressing

  • Make the dressing. While the rice cooks, mix the dressing in a jar or medium bowl. Whisk together the chipotle sauce, lime juice, honey, and grated garlic. Slowly drizzle the olive oil, whisking vigorously as you do, until you’ve added all the oil and the dressing is emulsified. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Set aside. The dressing may separate as it sits. Just give it a good whisk before serving!

Assemble the salad

  • Assemble the salad. When you’re ready to serve the salad, add the red cabbage, carrots, cherry tomatoes, green onions, dressing, and cilantro, and toss to combine. Sprinkle the cheese on top and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. You can typically find chipotle sauce in the Hispanic/Latino section of your grocery store. If you can’t find it, use the sauce from canned chipotles in Adobo sauce.
  2. Use leftover, cooked rice that has sat in the refrigerator for a day or so. This won’t work with freshly made rice — it’s too moist to get crispy!
  3. You can use whatever crunchy green you’d like in place of the red cabbage! I have tried this with kale and it tasted great.
  4. The measurement for the tomatoes is after cutting them. So, you’ll use 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes that have been sliced in half.
  5. If you don’t have or can’t find Cotija cheese, use crumbled feta.
  6. Making this a meal? You could add grilled chicken, steak, tofu, or black beans to up the protein.
  7. Riff on this! If you have other ingredients in your fridge, use them. Some additions that’d be delicious: corn, jalapenos, red onion, avocado, or bell peppers.