Black Rice Salad with Beets and Butternut
Some things are just better together, like beetroot and butternut. This dramatic black rice salad includes both, salty feta and some toasted pumpkin seeds for texture and crunch. The honey and red wine vinegar dressing is fresh and herby. It’s one of my most loved salad recipes. So delicious!
Reasons to make this salad:
– Nutrient powerhouse
– Vibrant colours
– Insane flavour
– Meat-free, Happy Monday supporter!
– Black rice and black beans
– Salty and sweet
– Zesty herb dressing
– Lunch box potential
If you haven’t yet tried black rice, give it a go. Rich in iron, vitamin E and antioxidants, it’s versatile and delicious alternative for brown rice or regular long grain white rice. The flavour is mildly nutty, the black outer shell turning almost purple when cooked. Black rice is also great for risottos and chocolate rice puddings – nero style.
Serve it with marinated rib-eye steak or this paprika roast chicken. Any leftovers can be packed for take to work lunches. Remember to bring the rice salad to room temperature before serving.
Black Rice salad with Beets and Butternut
Serves 4
- 100 g (1/2 cup) black rice, uncooked
- 400 g tinned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil
- 500 g (1 small) butternut, peeled and cut into chunks
- 5 beets, scrubbed and rinsed
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) balsamic glaze
- 100 g feta, crumbled
- 35 g (1/4 cup) toasted pumpkin seeds
Dressing
- 45 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) red wine vinegar
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) honey
- 1.25 ml (1/2 teaspoon) salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- a large handful of each, flat leaf parsley and basil, finely chopped
Place the beets in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Drain the set aside until cool enough to peel. Quarter the beets and toss in the balsamic glaze. Set aside.
For the dressing, place all the ingredients in a jam jar and shake together.
To assemble, combine the rice and black beans in a mixing bowl. Pour over half the dressing and toss to coat. Transfer the rice to a serving dish. Arrange the beets and butternut on the rice. Crumble over the feta and scatter with pumpkin seeds. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top and finish with a couple of twists of black pepper.
More rice recipes to love that tick the delicious box:
Saffron risotto stuffed tomatoes
Fried rice with five-spice chicken
8 Comments. Leave new
I will eat this , get into a phone booth and change into superman..!
This is a great salad black rice & beetroot, I also add pomegranate seeds and pistachios for a bit of crunch, just delicious!
I love the black rice and beetroot salad, so died my family it’s a favourite, I add pomegranate and pistachios for some extra crunch. Delicious
Gosh that sounds delicious. I can imagine it would add great texture and pops of colour too. Thanks for sharing!
Loved this! I picked up black rice without knowing what to use it for. I had all the other ingredients lying around luckily, so this came together perfectly. I threw the beets and butternut squash into the over together then tossed them both in the balsamic to make things easier. Omitted the feta to make it vegan – will definitely make again!
It sounds perfect, Taylor. My favourite recipes are those unexpected ones, using whatever the kitchen offers up. Hopefully you’ll find a few more uses for the black rice. The snazzy colour and deeply nutty taste are rather fabulous.
This is absolutely delicious, thank you! It’s going to be on many tables this summer.
So happy you love it too, Rebecca. I can make a meal out of just this! To great summer salads.