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Picnic Rice Salad

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Submitted by jano

Cold rice salad with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, tomato wedges, and celery tossed in a homemade French dressing. A portable, jar-friendly picnic salad that travels well.

YIELD

6 servings

PREP

10 min

COOK

20 min

READY

10 min

Cooked rice tossed with shredded tuna, quartered hard-boiled eggs, fresh tomato wedges, and diced celery, all dressed in a quick homemade French vinaigrette. Everything goes into a jar with a screw-top lid, which makes this genuinely packable for picnics, lunches, and road trips.

The dressing is just olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper shaken together in a jar. Nothing fancy, but the mustard emulsifies the oil and vinegar so it clings to the rice instead of pooling at the bottom. Dressing the salad while the rice is still slightly warm helps it absorb more flavor.

Cooking the rice so it’s “still firm” is a deliberate choice. Overcooked, mushy rice turns into a starchy clump in a cold salad. Slightly firm grains stay separate and have a pleasant chew that holds up to the dressing and tossing.

Kitchen Tips

  • Rinse the rice with cold water after cooking to stop the carryover cooking and remove excess starch. This keeps the grains distinct.
  • Drain the canned tuna well and shred it with a fork rather than leaving chunks. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly through the salad.
  • Add the tomato wedges last and fold gently so they hold their shape rather than turning into a crushed mess.
  • This keeps well in the fridge for two days. The rice absorbs more dressing as it sits, so you may want to add a splash of vinegar before serving leftovers.

Variations

  • Add a handful of black olives and diced bell pepper for a Mediterranean rice salad version.
  • Swap tuna for cooked shrimp or diced chicken for a different protein.
  • Use lemon juice instead of vinegar in the dressing for a brighter, more citrusy flavor.

Ingredients

1 237
CUP ML RICE
cooked, still firm
1 1
EACH TOMATO
fresh cut wedges
3 3
LARGE LARGE EGGS
hard-boiled, quartered
1 1
SMALL EACH TUNA FISH
can, shredded *
½ 118
CUP ML CELERY
diced
French dressing
3 45
TABLESPOONS ML OLIVE OIL
or salad oil
1 15
TABLESPOON ML VINEGAR
or lemon juice
0.6
TEASPOON ML PREPARED MUSTARD
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML SALT
1
X BLACK PEPPER
to taste *

Directions

Beat the seasonings and oil for the dressing in a bowl (with a fork) for one minute then add vinegar and beat until mixed, or shake dressing ingredients in a small jar.

Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing and store in a jar in the refrigerator with screw-top lid.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 94g (3.3 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 210 40% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 242mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Sugars g
Protein 11g
Vitamin A 7% Vitamin C 5%
Calcium 3% Iron 5%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free
 

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