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Easy, Light Rice Salad - Italian Style

Delicious summer meal perfect for picnics or simply to keep you from cooking in the heat!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Cooling time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: easy cooking, Italian Style, Light, Rice Salad, Summer meal
Servings: 6 people
Author: Erika Price

Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 cup Arborio or White Rice
  • 3 cans Solid Tuna in Olive Oil
  • 6 small Cucumbers (I use organic Persian Cucumbers) Diced
  • 1/2 cup Sugar Plum Tomatoes Cut in halves
  • 1 cup Whole Corn Kernel (canned)
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata Olives, pitted Cut in halves if whole
  • 1 cup Artichokes Hearts, (marinated in oil) Cut in halves
  • 1 jar Roasted Bell Peppers in oil (circa 3 halves) Cut in small pieces
  • 1 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes Cut in small pieces (vertical)
  • 1 tbsp Mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

  • In a medium sized pot, bring salted water to a boil and add the rice. The water must submerge the rice entirely. Cook for 15 minutes or until soft (not overcooked) and drain all the water out. Let the rice fully cool off at room temperature;
  • Meantime, in a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients as follows:
  • Drain the oil from the tuna cans and with a fork, break it into pieces directly into the bowl; the reason of draining the oil out is that I prefer to dress my salad with the olive oil of my choice. You could buy the tuna in water but the one in oil tastes better;
  • In a small strainer, drain all the liquid from the corn can and rinse the corn; you will so eliminate the slimy preservatives. If you wish to save some of the corn you can do so using a container and adding regular water to it;
  • Add all the remaining ingredients (previously cut and drained of their original liquid or oil as much as possible), add the cooled rice on top, dress with the EVOO and Mayonnese and toss well.
  • Let cool in the fridge for 30/45 minutes.