Southwest Brown Rice Salad is packed with black beans and veggies for a hearty vegetarian dish! It's tossed in a chili lime dressing and it's great for meal prep!
1jalapeñoseeded and chopped; sub with your favorite chili pepper
1/2cupfreshly chopped cilantro
1large avocadopitted and sliced or diced; for serving
lime wedges, for servingoptional
For the dressing:
1/2cupolive oil
1/4cupfresh lime juiceabout 2 large limes
2teaspoonshoney
1clovegarlicminced
3/4teaspoonchili powder
1/2teaspoonsmoked paprika
1/2teaspoonground cumin
1/4teaspoonsaltplus more to taste
1/8teaspoonblack pepperplus more to taste
Instructions
Prepare the dressing:
Prepare the dressing. Place the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, honey, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a small jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 clove garlic, 3/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Assemble the salad:
Place the room temperature brown rice, black beans, corn, bell peppers, red onion, jalapeño and cilantro in a large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat (you may not need it all). Top the salad with the avocado just before serving. Enjoy!
3 cups cooked brown rice, 15 ounces black beans, 1 cup corn, 1 small red bell pepper, 1 small green bell pepper, 1/2 red onion, 1 jalapeño, 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro, 1 large avocado, lime wedges, for serving
Notes
Pro tip: Use cooked brown rice that is just barely warm or room temperature. Prepare 1 cup of your favorite variety of brown rice according to package instructions, or make a batch of my Instant Pot brown rice.
For best results, do not add avocado until just before serving.
This dish is great for meal prep, but it’s important to note that the rice will become a bit dry over time. Simply toss with extra dressing and enjoy!
Customize this brown rice salad with your favorite veggies, cheese or protein!
Store brown rice salad in an air tight container for 3-5 days. Reheat gently and drizzle over a bit more dressing to serve.