Need something light, tasty, and satisfying? This Turkish Rice Salad is full of fresh herbs and crunchy veggies. The perfect lunch for warm days! It is always a crowd-pleaser at potlucks, picnics, or barbecues too. Fresh, colorful, tasty and super easy to make.
We usually make a big batch of this salad, so we can enjoy the leftovers the next day for a quick and easy lunch!
It’s also perfect for feeding a crowd, because you can easily double or triple the recipe. Whether you're making it for your own guests or bringing it to a gathering, this salad always gets lots of love!
About The Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients with exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page, but here’s a quick look at what goes into our Turkish Rice Salad:
Rice: We like using basmati rice because it has a light texture and works beautifully in salads. But any long grain rice will do the job just fine. Want to save time? Go ahead and use pre-cooked rice. No judgment here!
Herbs: Parsley, dill, and mint. This trio is a total win in salads.
Sweetcorn: We use canned corn for convenience. Just make sure to drain it well before tossing it in.
Red bell pepper: It adds a lovely crunch and bright color. Feel free to use any color or variety of pepper you have on hand.
Green onions: Chop up both the white and green parts. They add a nice sharpness without being too strong.
Gherkins: These bring in a great crunch and a tangy kick.
Lemon & olive oil: This simple dressing ties the whole salad together. Use good quality olive oil, and feel free to add more if you like it extra luscious!
How To Make Rice Salad Turkish Way
You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
We start by cooking the rice and letting it cool completely before adding it to the salad, that’s important for the texture.
To cook the rice, we use a 1:1.5 ratio of rice to water.
While the rice is cooling, chop up all your herbs and veggies. Then just mix everything together in a big bowl: cooked and cooled rice, herbs, veggies, gherkins, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Give it a good toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning.
To make it even more vibrant and flavorful, top with cherry tomatoes and fresh mint. That’s it!
Two Tips for the Best Rice
1. Rinse your rice well.
This is the secret to fluffy, separate grains. Just rinse the rice a few times under cold water until the water runs clear. It helps remove the extra starch and stops the rice from getting sticky.
2. Simmer on low heat with the lid on.
Once the water comes to a boil, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Let it simmer gently until all the water is absorbed. Then let it rest for a few minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Optional Add-Ins
This salad is super flexible, so feel free to make it your own!
Protein: Cooked chickpeas or beans are great if you want to make it more filling. You can even throw in some tuna for a quick boost.
Cheese: Crumbled feta or grilled halloumi go perfectly with the herby flavors.
Nuts: Toasted nuts like walnuts, pistachios, or pine nuts can take it to the next level.
Serving Suggestions
This Turkish Rice Salad is super versatile. You can enjoy it in so many ways!
- Serve it as a light lunch on warm days. Just pair it with a glass of cold ayran!
- It goes well with grilled meats, chicken, or fish for a colorful and refreshing side.
- One of our favorite ways to serve it is paired with köfte or chicken wings, alongside a bowl of cacık and some ezme. Together, they make the perfect dinner!
- It’s also a great addition to any picnic, barbecue, or potluck spread.
How to Store Leftovers
Got leftovers? Lucky you! Turkish rice salad tastes even better the next day!
Just transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to 3 days. Bring it to rrom temperature and give it a quick toss before serving. If it looks a little dry, you can always add a splash of olive oil or lemon juice to freshen it up.
This salad is not suitable for freezing. The herbs and veggies will lose their texture once thawed.
Can I Make It Ahead?
Absolutely! Turkish rice salad is perfect for making ahead of time. In fact, it tastes even better after it sits for a few hours in the fridge, the flavors have more time to come together.
Just prepare it a few hours in advance or even the night before. Keep it covered in the fridge and give it a good toss before serving.
More Turkish Salads
- Turkish Potato Salad
- Wheat Berry Salad
- Turkish Bulgur Salad – Every Turk’s Favorite!
- Turkish White Bean Salad
- Turkish Pasta Salad
As always: If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by rating it and leaving a comment below. And post a pic on Instagram too—tag @give_recipe so we can see!
Sign up for the FREE GiveRecipe Newsletter to get the new recipes into your inbox! And stay in touch with us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram for all the latest updates.
📖 Recipe
Turkish Rice Salad
INGREDIENTS
To Cook the Rice:
- 1 cup basmati rice (makes 4 cups when cooked)
- 1½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
For the Salad:
- 1 cup parsley finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh dill finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint finely chopped
- ½ cup canned sweet corn drained
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 4 green onions spring onions, chopped
- 5 gherkins diced
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
For Garnish:
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved
- Fresh mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
To Cook the Rice:
- Rince the rice very well until the water is clear. Place the rice, water, salt, and olive oil in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Check if all the water is absorbed. If not, continue to cook for another 1–2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely.1 cup basmati rice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1½ cups water
To Make the Salad:
- Transfer the cooled rice to a large salad bowl.
- Add the parsley, dill, mint, sweetcorn, red bell pepper, spring onions, and gherkins.1 cup parsley, ½ cup fresh dill, ¼ cup fresh mint, ½ cup canned sweet corn, 1 red bell pepper, 4 green onions, 5 gherkins
- Season with salt and pepper.1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil.1½ tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Toss everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve with halved cherry tomatoes and mint leaves on the top.6 cherry tomatoes, Fresh mint leaves
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Leave a Reply