Moroccan Rice Salad

About This Dish

A colorful, party-ready salad that has become a modern staple of Moroccan celebrations and buffets. Fluffy rice is tossed with a rainbow of finely diced vegetables — corn, peas, carrots, peppers, and olives — dressed with a cumin-lemon vinaigrette and fresh herbs. While not a traditional recipe, this salad has been wholeheartedly adopted into Moroccan cuisine over the past few decades, especially in urban areas. It appears at every birthday party, wedding buffet, and family gathering as a crowd-pleasing, colorful addition to the table.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Long-grain rice, cooked and cooled
• 1/2 cup Corn kernels
• 1/2 cup Green peas, cooked
• 1 Carrots, finely diced and blanched
• 1 Red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup Black olives, sliced
• 3 tbsp Fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• to taste Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook rice and let cool completely.

2. 2

   Blanch carrots and peas briefly. Cool.

3. 3

   Combine rice with all vegetables and olives.

4. 4

   Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper.

5. 5

   Garnish with parsley. Serve cold.

Tips & Tricks

• Rice must be completely cool before dressing, otherwise it becomes mushy.
• The vegetables should be cut very small and uniform for the best presentation.
• This salad keeps well in the fridge for a day.