Fruity Black Rice Salad With Cilantro, Avocado, and Pepitas in Chili-Orange Vinaigrette Recipe

A colorful grain salad brightened with mango, orange, and a punchy dressing.

By
Jennifer Olvera
Jennifer Olvera is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Jennifer Olvera
Jennifer Olvera is a Chicago-based food writer and cookbook author who has written eight cookbooks and contributed to Serious Eats, the Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, and others.
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Updated July 07, 2022
20140714-Grain-Salads-Black-Rice-Jennifer-Olvera.jpg
A salad of cilantro-flecked black rice with mango, orange, avocado, red onion, and pepitas is tied together with chili-spiked orange vinaigrette. . Jennifer Olvera

Why It Works

  • Cooking the rice until just barely tender preserves its texture when tossed with the vinaigrette.
  • Tangy diced mango and orange segments pair well with creamy diced avocado and the nutty flavors of the rice.

This salad stars black rice, a grain that sure is pretty to look at. But truth be told, I haven't always been its biggest fan. So, because I like a good challenge, I thought I'd make it the pivotal ingredient.

I approached my salad with color in mind; I started with avocado and cilantro for a shock of green, mangoes and oranges for some stark contrast, followed by a sprinkle of red onion and a shower of earthy, crunchy pepitas, all tied together with a chile and cumin-spiked orange vinaigrette. On paper, it sure seemed to make sense. Fortunately, it also wound up making a whole lot of sense in my mouth.

The hardest part about this easy salad is getting the rice cooked just right. Err on the side of caution when it comes to the package directions. My first batch was a sloppy mess when I followed the timing exactly. Less time and a bit less liquid was the answer to the problem. When in doubt, taste—you want to stop cooking the rice when it retains its texture but no longer has an unpleasant chew.

I chose to make a vinaigrette with orange juice and red wine vinegar, then flavored it with garlic, ground ancho chile, and cumin. When tossed in this citrusy, spicy dressing, the salad's disparate elements come together nicely. You can make it up to an hour in advance. Add the dressing in increments, and hold some in reserve. You'll likely want to add some more when the rice soaks up the liquid, a given if you refrigerate it.

July 2014

Recipe Details

Fruity Black Rice Salad With Cilantro, Avocado, and Pepitas in Chili-Orange Vinaigrette Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • For the Vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice from 1 orange
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • For the Salad:
  • 2 cups cooked and cooled black rice (see notes)
  • 1/2 mango, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 orange, segmented
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/3 cup pepitas, lightly toasted

Directions

  1. For the Vinaigrette: Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl, seasoning generously to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

  2. For the Salad: Place rice in a large bowl. Add mango, avocado, orange, onion, and cilantro. Whisk vinaigrette again and add to rice a few tablespoons at a time, gently tossing salad, until dressed to taste; reserve additional vinaigrette for passing at the table. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with pepitas and serve.

Notes

Do not overcook the rice: You want it to stand up to the vinaigrette without turning into a soggy mess. Remove it from the heat right when it loses its bite.

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