Equipment
Ingredients
Rice Base
- 200 g long-grain white rice
- 400 ml water
- 2 g fine sea salt
Tuna and Mix-ins
- 200 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained weight
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 g english cucumber, diced
- 50 g red onion, finely diced
- 15 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 5 g honey
- 1 garlic, minced
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 411 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 47 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 549 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 9 mg
- Potassium
- 269 mg
- Calcium
- 43 mg
- Iron
- 3.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 39 mg
- Phosphorus
- 231 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 21 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 3.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 35 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.34 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 8.4 mg
- Folate
- 129 mcg
- Water
- 194 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the long-grain rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear to remove excess surface starch.
In a medium saucepan, bring water and salt to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Add the rinsed rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer until water is fully absorbed.
Transfer the cooked rice to a baking sheet or tray, spreading it out into a thin layer to rapidly cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, use a fork to flake the drained tuna into bite-sized chunks.
In a small mixing bowl, aggressively whisk the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until completely emulsified and slightly thickened.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rice, flaked tuna, halved cherry tomatoes, diced English cucumber, finely diced red onion, and chopped fresh mint.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss gently with a fork to coat everything evenly without mashing the rice or tuna. Serve immediately or chill.
Chef's Notes
- Canned tuna packed in olive oil provides vastly superior texture and flavor for salads compared to water-packed tuna. You can even use the oil from the tin in place of the extra virgin olive oil for the vinaigrette.
- Cooling the rice quickly on a flat tray halts the cooking process and prevents the grains from over-steaming and breaking down, which is critical for a distinct, fluffy salad texture.
- If preparing this for meal prep over several days, store the chopped mint and vinaigrette separately and toss them through just before eating to preserve their vibrancy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Fresh mint may darken over time.
Troubleshooting
Rice is clumpy or mushy
Cause: Failure to rinse starch off the rice before cooking, or overcooking
Fix: Spread out on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator uncovered to dry out slightly, or repurpose into rice croquettes
Prevention: Rinse rice thoroughly until water is clear and measure water ratio precisely
Salad tastes bland or flat
Cause: Under-seasoning or the rice absorbed the dressing too quickly without enough salt
Fix: Add an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of flaky sea salt right before serving
Prevention: Taste the vinaigrette before adding; it should taste overly pungent on its own
Cultural Context
Rice salads (insalata di riso) are a staple of Italian and broader Mediterranean summer cuisine, often utilizing pantry staples like canned tuna and combining them with whatever fresh garden vegetables are on hand. They showcase the Mediterranean philosophy of creating vibrant, satisfying meals from humble, easily accessible ingredients.
