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–+ servings
Curried Brown Rice Salad with Apples and Cashews – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

Curried Brown Rice Salad with Apples and Cashews

A vibrant and flavorful Curried Brown Rice Salad featuring sweet raisins, crunchy cashews, and crisp apple, all tossed in a creamy curry dressing. Perfect as a satisfying lunch, light dinner, or a standout potluck dish.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 serving
Calories: 485

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 1½ cups (278g / 9.8 oz) brown rice, cooked to yield about 4 cups and well chilled
  • ⅓ cup (50g / 1.76 oz) raisins
  • ½ cup (65g / 2.29 oz) raw cashews, toasted
  • 1 medium carrot, very thinly sliced
  • 1 small firm, tart apple (like Granny Smith), cored and diced
  • For the Creamy Curry Dressing
  • ½ cup (120g / 4.2 oz) plain yogurt
  • ½ cup (115g / 4.1 oz) mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml / 0.3 fl oz) curry powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • Dash of cayenne pepper
  • For Serving
  • 3 cups (90g / 3.17 oz) fresh spinach leaves
  • ⅓ cup (80ml / 2.7 fl oz) Classic Vinaigrette
  • ¼ cup (25g / 0.88 oz) unsweetened dried coconut, toasted
  • To easily toast cashews, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, watching carefully until they are fragrant and lightly golden.
  • Watch coconut closely when toasting in a dry skillet over medium heat. It can go from perfectly golden to burnt in seconds! Stir or toss it constantly.
  • For a fantastic meal prep option, cook the rice and mix the dressing ahead of time. Store them separately in the fridge. You can assemble the full salad (minus the apple and spinach) up to 2 days in advance.
  • Feel free to customize! Swap raisins for dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots. Try toasted almonds or pecans instead of cashews.
  • To make this salad vegan, simply use a plant-based plain yogurt and a vegan mayonnaise. The results are just as creamy and delicious.

Method
 

  1. In a large serving bowl, combine the chilled cooked brown rice, raisins, toasted cashews, thinly sliced carrot, and diced apple.
  2. Toss gently to mix everything together.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the plain yogurt, mayonnaise, curry powder, minced garlic, fresh ginger, and cayenne pepper until smooth.
  4. Pour the dressing over the rice mixture and toss until everything is evenly coated.
  5. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
  6. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
  7. Just before serving, place the fresh spinach leaves in a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette to lightly coat.
  8. Arrange the dressed spinach on a large platter or on individual plates. Spoon the chilled rice salad over the bed of spinach and garnish generously with the toasted coconut.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 10gFat: 25g

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