Crispy Rice Salad

5 from 1 vote

This Crispy Rice Salad has gone completely viral on social media, and for good reason - it's absolutely delicious! Mine has a secret ingredient that takes it up a notch - it's light, crunchy, and the perfect side to any of your favorite proteins! I pair it with a sesame yuzu dressing that goes perfectly with the fresh vegetables and crispy rice!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Asian

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

Crispy Rice

2 cups rice
2 tsp soy sauce
3 tablespoons chili oil

Yuzu Dressing

¼ cup avocado oil
¼ cup yuzu juice
1 tbsp sesame oil
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 clove garlic grated
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Salad

2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
4 Persian Cucumbers sliced into ½ inch thick rounds
2 avocados diced
3 stalks green onions thinly sliced
3 sprigs cilantro chopped
2 cups edamame shelled

Instructions

Cook the rice according to package directions on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. Let cool on a plate then place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 400F.
Once the rice has cooled, add soy sauce, chili oil, and sesame oil. Toss until coated then bake the rice for 30 minutes, flipping the rice after 15 minutes.
In a measuring cup, add all the Yuzu Dressing ingredients and whisk until combined.
Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl, then top with the crispy rice. Pour over the dressing as desired then mix and enjoy!

Notes

If you are using fresh rice to make the crispy rice topping, wait until the rice has cooled down before mixing in the soy sauce and chili oil.

If you don't have yuzu juice, you can substitute with lemon juice.

Use a larger mixing bowl or salad bowl than you think you need - it makes it much easier to toss the salad in the dressing.

Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips

If the salad has already been tossed in the dressing, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Salads tend to get soggy as they sit in the refrigerator, so you may notice this happening - it's normal but personally I don't enjoy it.

If you have leftovers that have not been tossed in the dressing, I would store everything separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator - the crispy rice, the vegetables, and the dressing should all be in its own container.

To make ahead, I would bake the rice and cool down before storing in an airtight container, as well as make the dressing. Once ready to serve, I would add everything into a mixing bowl and dress right before eating.

Nutrition