If you’re looking for a delicious yet simple salad dressing that will go well with almost any vegetable or fruit, this vegan rice dressing is what you need.
What Is The Best Way To Cook Rice For Dressing?
Rice has been one of the most popular grains in history.
The first rice cultivation was documented in China around 7,000 years ago.
Rice cultivation spread throughout Asia, Africa, North America, Europe, and South America over the next few hundred years.
Today, it can be found all over the world.
The primary reason why people like cooking rice is its versatility.
You can use it as a side dish on its own or add some meat (or even fish) to make it more substantial.
If you want to prepare something different from your usual meals, you can also try making a risotto using rice instead of pasta.
And if you have leftover cooked rice, you can always turn it into instant rice pudding by adding milk and sugar!
But there’s another reason why we love eating rice.
It’s not only delicious but nutritious too.
Although it contains less protein than other grains, rice still offers plenty of vitamins B1, B3, C, E, K, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, etc.
This makes it an excellent food choice especially when used as part of a healthy diet.
What Are The Necessary Ingredients For A Good Rice Dressing Recipe?
This recipe uses brown rice as its base ingredient because it has more nutrients than white rice does.
Brown rice also takes longer to absorb water, which gives your dressing time to blend together while cooking.
The other main component of this dressing is quinoa, which provides additional protein and healthy fiber to help keep you full throughout the day.
In addition to these two basic components, the dressing includes several different types of colorful veggies such as carrots, sweet peppers, and tomatoes.
Quinoa contains high levels of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, folate, manganese, calcium, vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin.
These minerals can all assist your body in proper digestion and nutrient absorption during mealtime.
Finally, the dressing includes some spice flavors like turmeric, black pepper, coriander, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
Each one of these flavorings adds something unique to the overall taste of this dish.
Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties so adding it to the dressing helps prevent inflammation from occurring after eating too many raw vegetables.
The final result of this tasty bowl of food is a flavorful, nutritious, plant-based dressing that makes an excellent side dish for any type of barbecue.
How Much Rice Should Be Used In Dressing?
The amount of rice depends on how much dressing it takes up.
For example, if you use two cups of cooked rice, one cup of water, and 1/3 cup of oil, the final product would have about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of dressing per serving.
If you want more than 3 servings from your dressing, just multiply the amounts accordingly.
Another thing to consider when making rice dressing is whether you want to make enough for leftovers.
In case you do not finish all the dressing and end up having some leftover, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least three days.
They can also freeze indefinitely.
What Is The Best Way To Season Rice Dressing?
The secret behind rice dressing is how it is seasoned.
Rice has a naturally bland flavor which makes it versatile enough to pair with other ingredients.
There are two ways to enhance its taste through seasoning: adding salt at the end of cooking, or using flavorful herbs and spices during preparation.
Using salt can make your rice dressing too salty, so we recommend starting by lightly salting your food before mixing everything together.
If you want to add more flavor to your dressing, try sprinkling some fresh herbs on top after blending them into the mix.
- Add salt to the water while boiling your rice if you do not have access to a kitchen scale.
- Sprinkle salt over cooked rice after draining off excess liquid.
- Mix herbs and spices with oil and vinegar before tossing with rice.
1. Sprinkle salt on raw rice
This method works well when you don’t have access to a kitchen scale.
You just need to remember to sprinkle salt evenly onto each grain of rice as they cook.
The amount of salt depends on personal preference but most people prefer 1/4 teaspoon per cup of uncooked rice.
You can also use this same technique to season your grains of wild rice.
Just note that since these grains tend to absorb less moisture than regular white rice, you may need to increase the quantity of salt to up to 2 teaspoons per cup of uncooked rice.
2. Use salt to finish cooking rice
When cooking rice, always keep an eye out for signs of al dente (soft but still firm).
Once the rice is done, immediately transfer it from the pot into another bowl and let it cool down completely.
Then, take a fork and stir the rice thoroughly until all the grains are coated with salt.
Once the rice is cooled, you can combine it with remaining ingredients and serve it.
Be sure to check the seasoning once again before serving, because there might be small variations in the final texture depending on the quality of the rice you buy.
What Is The Best Way To Store Leftover Rice Dressing?
This is a great question! If you have leftovers from your own home-cooked meal, there are several options for storing it.
You can either refrigerate it overnight (or longer) until needed, or freeze it in an airtight container so that it doesn’t lose its freshness over time.
The easiest option is probably to drizzle it on top of another dish before serving it up as part of your meal.
Refrigerated Rice Dressing
The most common way people keep leftover rice dressing is by placing it into their refrigerator at least one night beforehand.
Once it has been chilled, it should be used within five days because the flavors will begin to fade.
To help extend its shelf life even further, you can add some lemon juice or lime juice to the mixture after chilling it.
Doing so helps preserve the dressing’s flavor and texture while also adding additional acidity.
Lemon juice works especially well since it’s more acidic than lime juice.
However, if you want to try something different, feel free to experiment and see which other ingredients work best with your favorite recipes.
To make sure that your rice dressing stays fresh for longer periods of time, you may want to consider freezing it instead of refrigerating it.
When frozen, rice dressing retains all of its original taste and nutrients without losing much of its moisture content.
In fact, many people prefer using frozen rice dressing because they don’t have to worry about wasting food when preparing meals.
Freezer Rice Dressing
If you’d rather not spend a lot of money buying pre-made dressings, then you might want to try making your own.
For example, you could use a blender to mix together cooked white rice, water, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and herbs such as parsley or basil to create your own homemade version of rice dressing.
Once you’ve finished mixing everything together, pour the mixture into an airtight plastic bag and squeeze out excess air before sealing it shut.
Place the bag inside of your freezer and let it sit for 24 hours before removing it and transferring it back into your fridge for storage.
Since you’ll be keeping it in your fridge, you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping this dressing fresh for months if not years.
Just remember to give it enough space to thaw completely first.
How Long Does Rice Dressing Last In The Fridge?
Rice dressing can keep refrigerated for up to two weeks, depending on how it was prepared.
If your rice dressing was cooked using water instead of stock, then it may have some extra flavor from the cooking liquid.
However, if your dressing has been stored in the refrigerator after being mixed together, then you should not expect its taste to change much over time.
In addition to keeping fresh in the fridge, rice dressing also lasts a long time when kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
So, if you want to make a lot of rice dressing ahead of time, simply mix everything together as soon as possible, cover it tightly, and keep it out until needed.
Then, all you need to do is add oil (or other fat) and seasonings before serving it.
Saving time by making rice dressing in bulk
You don’t always have to cook rice dressing every time you eat salads.
You can save both time and space by making large batches of rice dressing in advance.
All you need to do is combine all ingredients in one bowl, stir them well, and put them into smaller containers.
Make sure each container contains enough dressing so that you can use it within 2-4 days.
When you are ready to serve it, just open the container, spoon onto your desired dish, and enjoy!
There are many ways to prepare rice dressing.
For example, you can roast dry beans such as black beans, pinto beans, adzuki beans, etc., while they’re still raw.
The result is a flavorful bean paste that goes very well with rice dressing.
Or you can add roasted tomatoes and olives to the mixture as part of the seasoning process.
Can Rice Dressing Be Frozen?
Most people think that salads can only be eaten fresh, but it doesn’t have to be like that!
You don’t even have to take your time making it; just throw everything together, add some salt and pepper, and enjoy!
That said, if you want to store leftovers in the fridge, you might want to try freezing them first.
Rice dressing should stay pretty solid once refrigerated, so there shouldn’t be much problem storing it as a whole.
However, if you mix up a batch of it and then freeze it individually, you may find that the oil separates from the rest of the mixture.
To avoid this issue, we recommend mixing the ingredients together before freezing, then separating them into individual portions after they harden.
Once separated, simply thaw each portion separately and toss it back in its original container.
You can also freeze the dressing by pouring it into ice cube trays and placing them in the freezer until fully hardened.
Then transfer them to an airtight container and put them in the refrigerator where they can keep for about two weeks.
The best way to use leftover rice dressing is probably on top of mixed greens.
But you can also make other tasty dishes using it, such as this one-pan meal:
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, minced
- 2 sprigs thyme
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Optional: 2 teaspoons agave nectar
- Directions: Add all ingredients except the optional agave nectar to a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 40 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
Once cooked, remove the herbs and stir in the agave nectar.
Serve on top of mixed greens or alongside grilled fish, chicken, or pork chops.
This dish can easily be doubled or tripled depending on how many friends and family members you plan to feed.
What Are Some Good Side Dishes To Serve With Rice Dressing?
Rice dressing is the perfect complement to steamed veggies, grilled meats, or even plain baked potatoes.
If you want to make it easier on yourself when preparing your meal, rice dressing can also double as an appetizer by itself.
The secret ingredient in rice dressing is brown rice.
Brown rice has more fiber than white rice, which makes it a better choice if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthier diet.
It also contains all nine essential amino acids, making it one of the best vegetarian protein sources out there.
Rice dressing is also packed full of vitamins A, B1, B6, C, E, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, copper, manganese, fluoride, selenium, and niacin.
All these nutrients give rice dressing incredible nutritional value.
Some of them help fight cancer, while others boost brain power, improve eyesight, and increase energy levels.
How to prepare rice dressing
- Cook 1 cup uncooked brown rice per serving in enough water to cover until tender (about 45 minutes).
- Drain excess liquid and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine 4 cups cooked rice with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 6 tablespoons lemon juice.
- Whisk together thoroughly.
- Add chopped carrots, red onion, celery, parsley, cilantro, basil, and garlic powder.
- Mix ingredients thoroughly.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight before using.
For added flavor, add other herbs such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, mint, dill, sage, bay leaves, chives, and/or hot peppers.
You may also use dried instead of fresh herbs.
Note that when using dried herbs, you should soak them first so they rehydrate properly.
To do this, place the individual herb into a jar filled with boiling water.
After soaking for 5-10 minutes, drain and remove from water completely.
Dry the herbs before adding to the dish.
Vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, cucumbers, radishes, cauliflower, spinach, and tomatoes are great additions to rice dressing.
If you’d like to spice up your rice dressing further, try adding different types of nuts, seeds, olives, cheese, or bacon bits.
For extra kick, sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over top!
Is Rice Dressing Healthy?
Rice dressing has been around since the early 20th century but it wasn’t until recently that it was recognized as an excellent source of plant protein.
While most of us know about soy sauce (which contains high amounts of phytic acid), we might not be aware of how much phytonutrients can be found in other foods such as mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.
These foods have a lot more antioxidants than meat and dairy products which explains why they help prevent cancer and heart disease.
In fact, the World Health Organization recommends including these types of food into your diet.
It’s important to note that although rice dressing is often considered a “healthy” alternative to mayonnaise, there is nothing wrong with eating mayo on occasion!
Just remember that if you want to eat healthier, choosing low-fat versions is usually best so you don’t add unnecessary fat to your body.
Also, always check labels before buying anything because many commercially prepared dressings contain hydrogenated oils which are bad for our bodies.
What Are Some Common Mistakes People Make When Making Rice Dressing?
Rice dressing can be tricky to get right because the ratios of ingredients have to be just so in order to achieve the desired flavor profile.
If there isn’t enough salt, then it doesn’t taste salty enough.
Too much oil makes it greasy.
The key to getting the proportions correct lies in tasting your food as you cook it.
You want to know how each ingredient tastes on its own before combining them all together.
The best way to do this is to use different types of ingredients such as crunchy veggies like broccoli florets, zucchini slices, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, etc.
Then add protein-rich ingredients like edamame beans, tofu cubes, tempeh crumbles, lentils, etc.
These will give your dish a hearty texture.
And if you want something sweet, try adding dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or apricots.
Once you have tried out every possible combination of these components, you can come up with your ideal dressing using whatever ratio works for you.
In my opinion, 1/3 cup of cooked rice per serving would work great—it has a nice balance between the texture of rice and the other ingredients that provide structure.
However, feel free to experiment with the amounts until you find one that suits your needs perfectly!
Equipment
- 1 Oven
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cups grain rice
- 2 cups onion
- 2 cups celery
- 1/2 cup butter cubed
- 2 cans mushroom
- 3 tablespoons parsley
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bring the rice and 3-1/2 cups of broth to a boil in a saucepan. For about 20 minutes, reduce heat, cover, and cook the meat until soft.
- In the meantime, sauté onion and celery in butter in a skillet until they are soft. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of stock, along with the rice, mushrooms, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Put into a 13×9-inch baking dish that has been buttered. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, uncovered. If prefered, garnish with thyme and sage.
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Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.