Black Rice and Pea Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

On a recent visit to the local farmers market, I found the ingredients for this salad.

An oblique view of a black rice and pea salad with fresh veggies such as green lettuce, radishes, and shredded carrots on a white plate sitting on a white wooden table.

Then I hiked the local Madonna mountain (it’s really just a hill) with my dog Dedas and a good friend I hadn’t seen in a while, and worked on this recipe for a bit.

Oblique view of greens and vegetables with black rice on a white porcelain plate sitting on a white, linen table cloth.

Sunday took us to the top of the grade on our mountain bikes, and I can’t remember more beautiful day. The air was crystal clear, and we could see all the way from the rock at Morro Bay to the dunes in Oceano. It was incredible.

Oblique view of white porcelain plate filled with a Looking for a simple salad recipe that packs all the protein that you need? Black Rice & Pea Salad and with silverware sitting to the right. More vinaigrette in a mason jar is the rear left.

So this salad? It’s very simple, and totally tasty. You’ll have to cook the rice ahead of time, which isn’t too big of a deal. If you don’t get around to cooking it earlier, just spread the warm cooked grains out on a baking sheet and throw it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Bam, it’s cooled.

Top down view a Looking for a simple salad recipe that packs all the protein that you need? Black Rice & Pea Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette on white porcelain plate resting on a white tablecloth.

Using black rice adds some nice visual interest to the dish. You could also use wild rice, or your favorite whole grain variety.

The vinaigrette is very good also. I actually think it’s my favorite dressing I’ve made or had in a while. It’s also very simple. The hardest part is getting the honey to dissolve and not stick to the spoon.

A black Labrador Retriever eating a fresh pea pod.

Dedas also decided she very much loved the pea shells. She played with one a bit, nommed on it a bit, gobbled it down, and begged for more. This continued the whole time I was shelling them. I may have given her one more… Or ten.

A cute black Labrador Retriever looking into the camera.

Back to the salad! It’s fresh, spring-y, crunchy, and filling. What more is there to say? Whether you’re looking for something nutritious to gobble when you get home from a strenuous hike, or a simple meal to enjoy on a lazy afternoon at home with the dog, you’re going to love this.

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Oblique view of white porcelain plate filled with a Looking for a simple salad recipe that packs all the protein that you need? Black Rice & Pea Salad and with silverware sitting to the right. More vinaigrette in a mason jar is the rear left.

Black Rice and Pea Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette


  • Author: Raquel Smith
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 3 as a meal, 4-5 as a side 1x

Description

This fresh spring salad recipe with black rice, English shelling peas, radishes, carrots, greens, and red wine vinaigrette makes a perfect weeknight meal.


Ingredients

Scale

For the salad:

  • 1 cup uncooked black rice*
  • 45 cups lightly packed salad greens
  • 2 medium carrots, shaved
  • 2 ounces (about 4 whole) radishes, sliced thin
  • 1 cup shelled English shelling peas (about 34 handfuls whole peas)

For the red wine vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot

Instructions

  1. Cook the rice according to package directions. Cool completely.
  2. Place the salad greens in a large bowl and top with the rice, then the carrots, radishes, and peas.
  3. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a measuring cup. Stir well with a spoon until the honey is dissolved. Pour over the salad (you may have a bit left over) and serve.

Notes

*If you do not have time to cook the rice and let it cool on its own, it is okay to spread the warm rice on a baking sheet and freeze it for 10-15 minutes before serving.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Category: Dinner

If you liked this recipe, you may also want to check out this zesty Lemon Parsley Rice Salad as well as this wholesome Lentil and Brown Rice Salad.

What about you? Any tips for making a tasty rice and veggies bowl? Let us know in the comments below and please give this recipe a rating while you are at it!


Don’t forget to Pin It!

A collage of pins showing different views of grain salad made up black rice, peas, and other fresh veggies.

Photos by Raquel Smith, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on April 28th, 2014. Last updated: December 14, 2021 at 4:56 am.

*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Raquel Smith

Raquel is a whole foods enthusiast, an avid mountain biker, and a dog lover. She works by day at Food Blogger Pro and formerly maintained her food blog "My California Roots" (now merged into Foodal).

11 thoughts on “Black Rice and Pea Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette”

  1. Oh my gosh…. your pup. Melting from that sweet face and those eyes 🙂 Simple meals are the best, and this looks perfect. Gotta try that vinaigrette – love shallots in dressing!

    Reply
    • Thanks, Kaitlin! She is a cutie, huh? It’s really hard to deny her anything… she definitely gets a lot of cooking scraps. And do try the dressing – it’s one of my all-time favorites!

      Reply

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