An absolutely delicious brown rice salad with roasted sweet potato and pickled shallots
November 21, 2023
An absolutely delicious brown rice salad with roasted sweet potato and pickled shallots
An absolutely delicious brown rice salad with roasted sweet potato and pickled shallots
Welcome to a lovely culinary journey that combines the wholesome goodness of brown rice, the sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes, and the tangy kick of pickled shallots. This brown rice spiced salad is not just a feast for the taste buds but also a nutritional powerhouse. Let’s explore the flavours and textures that come together to create this delicious dish.
The Perfect Balance of Ingredients: At the heart of this recipe lies the marriage of earthy brown rice, roasted sweet potatoes, and zingy pickled shallots. If you want to learn or read more about the health benefits of brown rice, please click here. The sweet potatoes are tossed in a blend of cinnamon, cumin, and paprika, prior to roasting which provide colour and a caramelised sweetness. The cooked brown rice gives a lovely nutty base, while the pickled shallots add a delightful tanginess that cuts through the richness of the other ingredients. I use these quick pickled shallots in many of my salads. I also love adding them to a toasted baguette for lunches or as an easy & welcome addition to a cheese board.
Fresh herbs can make all the difference to a delicious salad, and here, I am using fresh parsley and mint, and these are combined with the nutty crunch of pecans, almonds, or walnuts—all coming together by a citrusy dressing. The result is a harmonious blend of flavours and textures that will leave you craving more. As you take each bite, you’ll experience the crunch of honeyed nuts, the creaminess of crumbled feta, and the burst of flavour from the pickled shallots.
Presentation and Serving: Present this brown rice salad with roasted sweet potato and pickled shallots on a beautiful platter or serving bowl or platter, layering it with the remaining feta, honeyed nuts, and the Moorish pickled shallots.
Please note that the recipe I provide makes for a very generous-sized salad. I love to serve this at a gathering with family or friends. This week, I have made it for my own family as a delicious way to kick off our week and with plenty of leftovers to enjoy for delicious lunches or to get creative with during the week. A simple piece of grilled fish or chicken is a lovely way to make another meal out of it. Spoon over some lemon or tahini spiked yoghurt and I think you will be very, very happy with yourself.
So whether you’re serving it as a side dish or making it the star of the show, this recipe is bound to become a favourite at your table. Try it out, savour the flavours, and enjoy a healthy and delicious meal that’s as pleasing to the palate as it is to the eye.
And, if you would love to receive new & inspiring recipes every week & be a part of our inspiring food community, I’d love to invite you to explore the Relish Mama Cooking Club here.
Nellie
X
P.S – If you would love to learn more about our food tours, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email or check out our tours page this way.
An absolutely delicious brown rice salad with roasted sweet potato and pickled shallots
Brown rice spiced salad with roasted sweet potatoes and pickled shallots
Equipment
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 cups of cooked brown rice
- 2 kg sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Sea Salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup parsley leaves washed, dried and chopped
- ½ cup mint finely sliced
- 200 g feta crumbled
- 1 cup nuts eg. pecans or almonds or walnuts or a mix of both
- 2 tablespoons honey
Pickled shallots
- 80 ml red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 4-5 shallots thinly sliced
Dressing
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Cook your rice in the rice cooker or your preferred method. Allow it to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 200o C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place sweet potato pieces on the tray, sprinkle with the spices salt and pepper, drizzle with oil and roast until golden and softened. Remove from oven and cool.
- To make the honeyed nuts sprinkle walnuts on a tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with honey and bake in oven on 200oC for approximately 10 minutes.
- To make the pickled shallots, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt with 250 ml water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then leave to simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Allow to sit and cool in this liquid until serving. The liquid will be drained when time to serve.
- To make the dressing place all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.
- To assemble the salad add parsley and mint, rice and sweet potato and dressing in a cooks bowl and toss. Add half of the feta and half of the walnuts. Then present the salad in your serving bowl or platter. Top with the remaining crumbled feta and the walnuts as well as finishing with the drained pickled shallots and dress with the dressing.
Nutrition
Recipes 
Experiences + Tours 
Recipes 