This rice salad with winter vegetables can only be described as crisp, bright, easy and comforting. This is the time of year where vegetables tend to disappear at the farmer’s market, and we’re left with only a few options, and after stews and soups and pastas run their course, sometimes I’m just in the mood for something bright. This salad totally fits the bill.
This winter salad uses a light, salty, lemony dressing that is packed with shallots and chives, and then piles on radishes, carrots, fennel (my favorite) and mixes it together with warm rice and crispy tempeh to truly complete the meal. It might seem like a lot, but the process is quick, calming (because there is a lot of chopping) and you’re left with a fantastic result that holds up for meal prep, or as an easy, healthy weeknight meal. If you are looking for a winter salad that doesn’t necessarily match what you think of as a “winter salad,” this rice salad will fit the bill.
Table of contents
A little bit of context about rice salad
Before anyone goes around thinking I’m claiming to invent rice salad, trust me, I’m not even close. And this is not even close to a true rice salad. This is more of rice-with-salad rice salad, if that’s a thing? When you look up rice salad, you’ll first find a lot of Mediterranean and Italian versions. These versions usually contain herbs, tomatoes, pine nuts, and are dressed in acid and olive oil, so not too far off from the rice salad energy that we are going for here.
Rice salads are typically seen as a summer dish, and that’s where the key difference comes in. With this rice salad I’m harnessing the unique crunch of hearty winter vegetables, and giving it a full dressing, with some crispy tempeh to round out the protein. This makes this a vegan rice salad with winter vegetables, which is far from traditional, but is definitely delicious!
Ingredients for this rice salad with winter vegetables
Now that we’ve covered what rice salad technically is, here is what you need to make this wintery version:
- 1 cup short grain white rice
- 1 8 oz. pack of tempeh
- 2 medium shallots
- 1/4 cup chives
- 1 tbsp preserved lemon paste, or 1/4 of a preserved lemon, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 large radish, can be blue radishes or watermelon radishes
- 1 medium fennel bulb
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large grapefruit
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, as needed
How to make crispy tempeh
Crispy tempeh is now a reoccuring character in the cast that is the Justine Snacks blog. But what can I say? I just love that it acts as a nutty, crispy addition to any kind of meal. It’s like free protein – but with *crunch*
To make it, just crumble or chop up the tempeh until it is in small crumbles. Drizzle with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and season with salt. Roast at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, or until the tempeh is golden brown.
The dressing for this rice salad with winter vegetables
Like all good dressings, I make this dressing directly in the bowl that the salad is going into. Less mess, no fuss, super simple.
So while the tempeh is roasting, prepare the dressing. Finely dice the shallots and chop the chives, add them to a large bowl. Add in the preserved lemon paste, the honey, the juice from the second half of the lemon, and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper as needed and stir to combine, and that’s it for the dressing for the rice salad with winter vegetables!
How to bring this recipe together
To finalize the whole thing, thinly slice the radish, fennel, and carrot. Slice the grapefruit. Add all of the vegetables to the bowl with the dressing and toss with clean hands.
When the tempeh is finished, pour the cooked rice onto the baking sheet and then take the roasted lemon half and squeeze the remaining pulp onto the rice. Mix to combine everything together.
To serve, add a generous pile of rice to a plate, layer the salad on top, and top with a few basil leaves. And that’s it!
FAQ
Absolutely! The best part about this salad is the dressing pairs well with a large amount of crispy, crunchy vegetables. Choose some hearty vegetables that you enjoy raw, and you can tweak this salad to your liking!
Definitely. Since this recipe makes 4 servings, I love using it for meal prep for a week of lunches. It holds really well together, even when fully dressed, so feel free to toss everything together and then store it in the fridge for when you want to portion out a plate. This will keep for about 5 days.
This part is totally up to you. You can either store the vegetables and rice separately, or you can mix everything together and store it prepared. Both storage methods should be put in an airtight container and kept in the fridge. They will last for up to 5 days. This salad does not freeze well.
Looking for similar recipes?
Here are a few plant-forward recipes I have been LOVING lately:
And that’s everything for this lemony rice salad with winter vegetables!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Lemony Rice Salad with Winter Vegetables
Equipment
- 1 rice cooker
- 1 sheet pan
- 1 chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain white rice
- 1 8 oz. pack of tempeh
- 2 medium shallots
- 1/4 cup chives
- 1 tbsp preserved lemon paste or 1/4 of a preserved lemon, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil plus more as needed
- 1 large radish can be blue radishes or watermelon radishes
- 1 medium fennel bulb
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large grapefruit
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Then begin by cooking your rice according to package instructions.
- Use your hands to crumble the tempeh into small pieces. Spread them out on a baking sheet and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with salt. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 of a lemon over the tempeh, and then put the lemon half cut-side-down on the baking sheet. Roast at 400°F for 15-18 minutes or until the tempeh is golden brown and crisp.
- While the tempeh is roasting, prepare the dressing. Finely dice the shallots and chop the chives, add them to a large bowl. Add in the preserved lemon paste, the honey, the juice from the second half of the lemon, and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper as needed and stir to combine.
- Thinly slice the radish, fennel, and carrot. Slice the grapefruit. Add all of the vegetables to the bowl with the dressing and toss with clean hands.
- When the tempeh is finished, pour the cooked rice onto the baking sheet and then take the roasted lemon half and squeeze the remaining pulp onto the rice. Mix to combine everything together.
- To serve, add a generous pile of rice to a plate, layer the salad on top, and top with a few basil leaves.
Wow this was so good. Whenever I tell my partner I’m making a “justine” dish he gets so excited, and this was no exception. I was nervous it would be a bit too sour or the fennel/ raddish taste would be too strong but instead it was a PERFECT BLEND of flavors, so delicious. I made it as a main dish, next time I may make it as a side as the tempeh was less filling than I hoped, but 10/10 would recommend to anyone, even people who don’t love salads/ veggies
Such a beautiful, fresh and moreish way to hero winter veg
This was so perfect! This is one of the first times I made a recipe where my fiance and I really enjoyed tempeh. The flavors and textures are so complex and balanced. Followed the recipe precisely and I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks Justine!
I’ve been stalking the recipes of Justine for a while but this is the first one I actually made and I was so effing happy with it! I topped mine with a fried garlic chili oil and the whole thing screamed modern upgrade on fried rice. The citrusy veg was reminiscent of kimchi or another pickled counterpart and the tempeh mimicked scrambled egg in the way of protein and spongey texture. Ughhh sooooo goooood!!! Cannot recommend more!