Black Bean Coconut Rice Salad is a colorful, zesty salad with a delicious combination of ingredients like coconut-infused rice, beans, bell peppers, red onion, and pineapple.
Rice salad may sound a bit unusual but trust me, this unique salad will be a hit at your next backyard BBQ or potluck. Black Bean Coconut Rice Salad is the perfect summer salad and goes well with grilled meat, chicken or fish.
The dressing for this salad is super scrumptious. It packs a bit of heat and sweet with jalapeno peppers, pureed pineapple, fresh lime juice, and ginger.
You will love the boost of flavor the coconut rice adds to this salad. For this recipe, I did some extensive testing to make the perfect coconut rice. I aimed for rice that had great consistency and flavor. Most coconut rice recipes I tried did not achieve significant coconut flavor. The solution, I found, was to replace plain water with coconut water. This did the trick and I must say my recipe makes the tastiest coconut rice ever!
Packed with protein from the black beans this also makes a healthy lunch. You can even make it healthier with brown rice or quinoa. I recommend using fresh ripe pineapple for this recipe. It is not as watery and tastes so much better. In a pinch canned pineapple will work, just be sure to drain well.
Try this refreshing side salad with these awesome entree recipes.
Black Bean Coconut Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups long grain rice
- 1 can (400ml/14 oz) coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 can (540ml/19oz) black beans rinsed
- 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp red onion chopped
- 1 ½ cups fresh pineapple cubed
- ¾ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup fresh chives or green onion
- 1 lime 3 tbsp
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup pureed pineapple
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 2 tablespoon jalapeño pepper finely chopped
Instructions
- Rinse rice in cold water until water is no longer cloudy.
- Transfer rice to large saucepan. Add coconut milk, coconut water and ¼ tsp. salt. Stir well.
- Bring rice to a full boil, turn heat down to lowest setting. Place lid on pot and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let rest leaving lid on for an additional 15 minutes.
- Transfer to extra-large bowl, fluff with fork and let cool. Fluff with a fork occasionally until completely cooled.
- While rice is cooking prepare beans and vegetables as well as dressing.
- For Dressing
- In jar combine together, lime juice, olive oil, grated ginger, pineapple puree, jalapeño pepper, 2 tbsp. red onion finely chopped and ¼ cup chopped cilantro.
- Place lid on the jar and shake to blend the ingredients together.
- When rice is cooled, toss in the black beans, pineapple, red bell pepper, 1 cup red onion, ½ cup cilantro and chives.
- Add dressing and toss together until blended.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Shanta
My boyfriend is allergic to cilantro. Can I omit it or use a substitute?
Laureen King
Hi Shanta, I would just leave the cilantro out.
Judy Penturf
Do you recommend full fat or lite coconut milk for the black bean coconut rice salad?
Laureen King
Hi Judy, I prefer full fat.