Healthy Grain Salad

This Healthy Grain Salad is one of my favourite go-to recipes. It’s packed with a variety of grains, fresh vegetables, and a zesty dressing, making it both satisfying and nutritious. I often prepare this salad for lunch or as a side dish for dinner, and it’s always a hit with the family.

When entertaining a large group it can be prepared ahead of time, and just assembled at the last minute. It’s the perfect blend of nutty flavours and textures, and I love how versatile it is—great for using up whatever veggies I have on hand.

Health Benefits

This Healthy Grain Salad is packed with nutritious ingredients that offer a range of health benefits. Brown rice and puy lentils provide a solid base of whole grains and legumes, rich in fibre and protein which support digestive health and help keep you feeling full. The addition of pumpkin seeds, flaked almonds, and pine nuts adds healthy fats, which help maintain energy levels. Currants contribute natural sweetness and antioxidants, while capers and fresh herbs like coriander and parsley provide additional vitamins and minerals. The dressing, made with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, offers healthy fats and vitamin C, enhancing the salad’s overall nutritional profile. The yoghurt and tahini sauce adds a creamy element with a dose of protein and calcium, making this salad a well-rounded, nourishing meal. This recipe has about 21 grams of protein per serve.

Easy preparation steps

Making this Healthy Grain Salad is simple and straightforward. Start by cooking the grains and let them cool. While the grains are cooking, chop the vegetables and prepare the dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Combine the cooled grains, vegetables, and dressing in a large bowl and toss to coat. Let the salad sit for a few minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.

Customising your salad

This recipe is highly customisable, so feel free to mix and match ingredients based on what you have available. You can add protein such as grilled chicken, tofu, chickpeas or goat cheese to make it a complete meal. If you prefer a different dressing, try balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar for a tangy twist.

Personal experience with Healthy Grain Salad

I’ve found this salad to be incredibly versatile and satisfying, plus it does us as a side over two meals. My family loves it too, and I often prepare it for gatherings where it always receives compliments. It’s a great way to get a variety of nutrients while enjoying a tasty and satisfying meal.

Tip

If you plan on splitting it between meals, then leave some of the salad undressed and dress prior to serving. Though it’s not the end of the world to store it if it has been dressed – just the nuts and seeds loose a little of their crunch. It still tastes as good though.

Vary this to suit your dietary needs

Check out the variations below the main recipe for tips on how to adapt it to your specific dietary needs. For a dairy-free option, skip the yoghurt tahini sauce or use a dairy-free yoghurt. To make it nut-free, leave out the almonds and pine nuts, and use extra seeds instead. You can also swap out the grains for quinoa or rice if you prefer!

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Healthy Grain Salad

Prep 15 minutes minutes

Cook 30 minutes minutes

Total 45 minutes minutes

Serves: 4

This Healthy Grain Salad is a delicious, filing salad that's great for entertaining and so delicious. 

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Ingredients

• 180 g brown rice (1 cup)
• 150 g puy (French) lentils (¾ cup)
• 1 red onion/s -peeled, halved and sliced
• 30 g  pumpkin seeds (¼ cup) toasted
• 25 g flaked almonds (¼ cup) toasted
• 35 g pine nuts (¼ cup) toasted
• 45 g currants (½ cup)
• 3 tbsp capers -drained
• 1 bunch/s fresh coriander leaves -washed and picked off the stems
• ½ bunch/s fresh parsley leaves -finely chopped

Dressing

• 1 lemon/s -juice and zest one
• 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil -extra virgin
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper -to taste

Yoghurt and tahini sauce

• 250 g natural, Greek or coconut yoghurt (1 cup)
• 1 tbsp hulled tahini 
• 1 tsp sea salt - or to taste

Method

• Cook the rice and lentils (* cooking instructions  here and here or follow the instructions on the packet).
• Allow to cool and place in a salad bowl. Add the onion, nuts, seeds, currants, capers, coriander and parsley. Toss together until well combined.
• For the dressing, mix the oil, lemon juice, and zest together well. 
• For the yoghurt sauce, mix the ingredients together in a small serving bowl or jug.
• Prior to serving, dress the salad and toss well to coat the grains. 
• Serve with the yoghurt in a small side dish or jug.

Store

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Variations

More vegetables

Feel free to add extra vegetables such as grated carrot, slices of radish or cherry tomatoes would work well.

Dairy-free and vegan

Serve with hummus or sub the yoghurt for coconut yoghurt.

Grain-free

Substitute the rice with quinoa. I do this version often though I think the brown rice adds a nice crunchy texture.

Onion-free

Replace the onion with 5 sliced radish.

Legume-free

Substitute the lentils with quinoa.

Nut-free

Replace the pine nuts and almonds with sunflower and sesame seeds.

Make a meal of it

• Add slices of lamb (I often make this when I have a little lamb left over from a roast, but not quite enough for a whole meal).
• Also, add crumbled feta and mint leaves for a delicious Greek-inspired meal.
• Add a fillet of grilled or barbecued salmon smeared with horseradish cream.  The capers in the salad work really well with fish. Throw in a few dill leaves.
• Add grilled chicken and slices of apple for a fresh, uplifting salad.

Make it go further

Add mixed leaves to the salad (spinach, rocket or lettuce) and a little more dressing.

*Rice and lentil cooking instructions  here and here

 

 

Give it a go, you won't be disappointed. Did you put your own spin on it? Share how you served it by adding a comment below.

Course: Salad

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