Sesame Ginger Rice Salad
Published on March 20, 2023
Quick Summary
Sesame Ginger Rice Salad- hearty rice salad made with chicken, broccoli, asparagus, cucumber, avocado, cilantro, green onion, and a simple sesame ginger dressing. This salad is easy to make and the flavors are incredible. Enjoy for lunch or dinner!
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Pin ItIt’s no secret that I love making salads that are full of flavor and tasty ingredients. A few favorites include: Cobb Salad, Beet Salad, Easy Orzo Salad, and Steak Salad.
This Sesame Ginger Rice Salad is another favorite. The salad is easy to make and every bite is bursting with complex and delicious flavors.
Rice is the base of the salad, making this a very hearty and satisfying salad. I like to use brown rice, but any rice will work. To keep the salad SUPER simple, I usually use the frozen rice that is already cooked. You just have to heat it up in the microwave. I also love making this salad when I have leftover rice.
The salad has lots of tasty ingredients including: chicken, veggies, creamy avocado, cilantro, green onion, and is finished with a simple sesame dressing. I like to garnish the salad with peanuts or cashews for a salty crunch!
This easy rice salad recipe is SO fresh and perfect for meal prep! You can enjoy it as a main dish or serve it along side any meal. I also love making it for parties and potlucks because it is always a crowd pleaser. Everyone always wants the recipe!
Table of Contents
Salad Ingredients
- Rice– I like to use brown rice, but white rice, jasmine, wild rice, or basmati will work too. Pro tip- to keep this recipe super simple, buy the frozen rice that is already cooked. You just have to heat it up in the microwave! It’s a lifesaver!
- Chicken– you can use shredded rotisserie chicken or chopped cooked chicken. If you want to make a vegetarian salad, you can leave out the chicken.
- Broccoli– cut the broccoli into small florets.
- Asparagus– cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- Cucumbers– I like to use English or Persian cucumbers.
- Avocado– avocado makes every salad better!
- Green onions– sliced
- Cilantro– so fresh!
- Sesame seeds– you can use white or black sesame seeds or even a mix.
- Chopped peanuts or cashews– optional, but they add a nice salty crunch to the salad.
Sesame Ginger Dressing
The dressing is so flavorful and is easy to make! You will need the following ingredients.
- Avocado oil or olive oil– use your favorite.
- Soy sauce or Tamari– I prefer lite soy sauce. If you need the salad to be gluten-free, make sure you use Tamari. You can also use coconut aminos.
- Lime juice– use freshly squeezed lime juice.
- Pure maple syrup– to slightly sweeten the dressing. You can also use honey.
- Sesame oil– A little goes a long way, so you only need a teaspoon. The flavor is so good@
- Garlic– use fresh garlic!
- Ginger– use fresh ginger and grate it with a microplane.
- Crushed red pepper flakes– for a little heat.
To make the dressing, simply combine all of the ingredients, whisk well, and set aside.
How to Make Rice Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the rice and chicken.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water nearby. Drop the broccoli and asparagus into the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes or until veggies are tender but still bright green.
- Transfer to the bowl of ice water for 1 minute, then drain. Place the vegetables on a clean kitchen towel to dry.
- Add the broccoli, asparagus, cucumbers, avocado, green onion, and cilantro to the rice and chicken. Stir to combine.
- Drizzle with dressing and add the sesame seeds. Stir until well combined. Garnish with peanuts or cashews, if desired. Serve.
Variations
- If you want to make a vegetarian salad, leave out the chicken and add edamame or tofu.
- Add your favorite vegetables. Peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, and cauliflower are all good options.
- Add a handful of spinach, kale, or arugula for extra greens.
- Instead of rice, you can use cooked quinoa, farro, or orzo.
- Add in extra herbs like fresh mint, basil, Thai basil, or parsley!
- If you want to kick up the heat, serve with sriracha.
How to Store
This salad is great for meal prep! The leftovers are delicious! I love having it in the fridge for a quick lunch or dinner.
The salad will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you know you are going to be eating it throughout the week, you can wait to dress the salad until ready to serve. The dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
More Salad Recipes
- Kale and Wild Rice Salad
- Asian Quinoa Salad
- Easy Quinoa Salad
- Sesame Ginger Carrot Salad
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Easy Spinach Salad
Sesame Ginger Rice Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce or Tamari
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, can use honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
For the Salad:
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken or chopped cooked chicken*
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 10 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup chopped English cucumbers
- 1 large avocado, chopped
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup chopped peanuts or cashews, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- To make the dressing, combine the oil, soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the rice and chicken.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water nearby. Drop the broccoli and asparagus into the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes or until veggies are tender but still bright green. Transfer to the bowl of ice water for 1 minute, then drain. Place the vegetables on a clean kitchen towel to dry.
- Add the broccoli, asparagus, cucumbers, avocado, green onion, and cilantro to the rice and chicken. Stir to combine.
- Drizzle with dressing and add the sesame seeds. Stir until well combined. Garnish with peanuts or cashews, if desired. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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Will Cauliflower rice work?
Yes!
LOVED this recipe, but can you help with serving size/calories? What constitutes a serving size and does that include the rice and dressing? Thanks.
This was delish!!! I recommend.
Glad you loved it.
To make using rice in recipes super easy I make a BIG batch of (brown) rice and then divide it into one cup portions. Put the portioned rice into small freezer bags. Then I can pop out a two person serving whenever I want. Defrost in the microwave or let sit out on the counter all afternoon. It will be ready when you are.
Smart!
Delish!! Thank you 🙂
You are welcome!
If you are meal prepping, do you omit the avocado or make any other changes? Looks tasty. Thank you.