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I’ve seen this trendy crispy rice salad all over social media, so I had to try it… and it lives up to the hype! Crunchy, fresh, and packed with flavor.
Crunchy, Flavor-Packed Perfection
- Crunchy & Satisfying! Crispy rice is the latest viral trend, and it’s a good one! It adds the perfect texture and makes every bite delicious!
- Make It Your Own: The best part of this salad is how customizable it is! Add grilled chicken, steak, purple cabbage, mushrooms, chickpeas, or feta!
- Fresh and Flavorful! With crispy rice, crunchy veggies, juicy mango, and creamy dressing, every bite of this salad is full of flavor and freshness!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Rice Options: All types of rice will work in this recipe, except for wild rice. You can even use leftover rice to make this tasty salad!
- Spice It Up! Swap vegetable oil for chili crisp oil to add heat and flavor while helping the rice crisp up perfectly.
- Tahini Tip! Tahini can seize up if there is too much water. If it does, add ½-1 teaspoon of sesame oil and whisk until smooth.
- Dressing Options: Try using spicy cashew dressing, a vinaigrette, Thai peanut dressing, an Asian dressing, the sky is the limit!
How to Make a Crispy Rice Salad
The secret to this dish is getting that perfectly golden, crunchy rice while keeping everything else fresh and vibrant. Toss it all together with tahini dressing, and you’ve got a winning salad!
- Prep the Rice: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Add the rice to a large bowl and toss it with the vegetable oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
- Cook the Rice: Spread the rice out on a baking sheet, then bake for 25-30 minutes. Stir halfway through, until the rice is golden and crispy. Let it cool completely, then break it apart as much as desired.
- Make the Dressing: Whisk the tahini, chili crisp oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
- Assemble the Salad: Add the cooled, crispy rice, shredded cabbage, red bell pepper, Persian (mini) cucumbers, avocado, edamame, mango, cilantro, peanuts, green onions, and mint to a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately
Other Crispy Rice Cooking Options
- Air Fryer: Toss the rice with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil instead of 2, the sesame oil, and soy sauce, and cook the rice in an even layer in a preheated air fryer at 375ºF for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Nonstick Skillet: Toss the rice with vegetable oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce, then add to a skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until browned and crispy. Flip and cook a few more minutes for a golden brown second side, if desired.
How to Store Leftover Crispy Rice Salad
- Make Ahead: The crispy rice can be prepared up to 5 days in advance, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to make your salad.
- Storing Leftovers: Once tossed together, the salad is best served immediately. Over time it will get soggy, but you can store leftovers for a day or so.
Make It A Meal
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Crispy Rice Salad
I've seen this trendy crispy rice salad all over social media, so I had to try it… and it lives up to the hype! Crunchy, fresh, and packed with flavor.
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper about 1 medium pepper
- 1 cup sliced Persian cucumbers about 4 cucumbers
- 1 cup diced avocado
- ½ cup shelled edamame
- ½ cup diced mango
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint
Tahini Dressing
- ½ cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp oil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add 3 cups cooked white rice to a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce until evenly coated. Spread the rice out on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the rice is golden and crispy. Let it cool completely, then break it apart as much as desired.
- Make the dressing by whisking ½ cup tahini, 1 tablespoon chili crisp oil, ½ teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon sesame oil together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad by adding the cooled, crispy rice, 2 cups shredded cabbage, 1 cup diced red bell pepper, 1 cup sliced Persian cucumbers, 1 cup diced avocado, ½ cup shelled edamame, ½ cup diced mango, ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, ¼ cup chopped peanuts, ¼ cup sliced green onions, and 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint to a large serving bowl.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 11gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 214mgPotassium: 493mgFiber: 7gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 3109IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 88mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
