Autumn Black Rice Salad

What do you bring to a Friendsgiving potluck at an RV with limited kitchen facilities? If you're looking for options that don't need to be reheated or refrigerated this Autumn Black Rice Salad recipe is perfect!

Another reason this is a great potluck dish is that it is gluten-free. And, if needed, you can adjust the ingredients to accommodate other allergies or special diets.

I know it says "autumn" but that's because I decided to make use of some of the roots I picked up at the special pre Thanksgiving farmer's market. You could really pop all kinds of seasonal veggies into this salad. Use what's available and in season!

Ingredients for Autumn Black Rice Salad

The ingredients for this recipe are pretty simple. Here's what you need and then I'll talk about some of them and possible substitutions.

• black rice
• golden beet
• parsnips
• garlic
• red onion
• corn
• carrots
• lemon juice
• cilantro
• spices: cumin, oregano, thyme, salt & pepper
• dried cranberries
• toasted pumpkin seeds

Black Rice

You may have seen black rice in the store and wondered "what the heck to I do with that?" Here's something! Really you can use this wherever you would use rice.

The cook time and water required for black rice is about the same as long grain brown rice. In the Instant Pot, I cooked one cup of this black pearl rice with 1 1/2 cups of water on high pressure for 15 minutes. The rice still had a little chew to it which I like in a salad. If you want it softer, cook it a few more minutes.

If black rice isn't available to you, try wild rice for a similar look. Otherwise, use long grain brown rice, basmati rice, or whatever you have.

By the way, this one pound package was less than $4. It is more expensive than white or brown rice but shouldn't be $10/pound. If you want to avoid being price-gouged by the big A, try your local co-op, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, or even your regular grocery store.

Roasted Veggies

Image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay

I used beet and parsnips because that's what I picked up at the farmer's market. Some substitutions that would also be delicious here: cauliflower, sweet potato, or any winter squash.

Lemon Juice

Fresh lemon juice will give the best flavor, but you can use bottled if that's what you have. When I made this in Mexico, I used lime juice because lemons aren't common in some places. It works perfectly.

Cilantro

Are you a cilantro hater or cooking for one? Swap it out for parsley instead!

Dried Cranberries

I used fruit sweetened dried cranberries that I find at Natural Grocers. In Atlanta I was able to find them at my local co-op. Unfortunately, all of the dried cranberries I've seen seem to contain some oil. Since the recipe only calls for a small amount, I didn't worry about it. If it's a concern for you, substitute dried raisins or fresh diced apple or pear.

Pumpkin Seeds

The toasted pumpkin seeds are delicious here but you could also use pecans, walnuts or sunflower seeds. Definitely toast them lightly though.

Preparation Notes

Since I was making three dishes for our potluck and it was an hour and a half drive, I made this dish in advance. On Tuesday, I made the rice, toasted the pumpkin seeds, and roasted the veggies. Then on Wednesday I finished the recipe and refrigerated the completed dish. Then all I had to do was grab it Thanksgiving morning.

If it works better for you, you can do it all in one day. This salad does benefit from spending some time in the refrigerator letting the flavors combine.

Have you ever had black rice? If so, what was it in or how did you prepare it?