This crispy rice salad recipe is filled with crunchy textures and bright, bold flavors. It stars fresh veggies, herbs, peanuts, and a sesame ginger dressing.
This crispy rice salad is quickly becoming a favorite summer lunch. It starts with a base of veggies — marinated cucumbers, edamame, scallions, avocado, and fresh mint — topped with crunchy roasted peanuts, sheet pan crispy rice, and sesame ginger dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Crispy Rice Salad
- It’s bright and refreshing. The cucumbers are marinated in rice vinegar with a little sugar and salt to give them a tangy pop. Together with the scallions and mint, they make this salad the perfect bright, fresh meal for a hot summer day.
- The mix of textures is delicious. This salad has loads of crunch, thanks to the crispy rice, cucumbers, and peanuts. Chunks of avocado and a tahini-based sesame ginger dressing add creamy contrast.
- It can be a main or a side dish. The edamame, rice, and avocado make it filling enough to pass as a main. Or enjoy it as a side dish with sesame tofu, red curry, or banh mi.
Crispy Rice Salad Ingredients
This recipe takes inspiration from nam khao, a Lao salad made with red curry crispy rice, loads of fresh herbs, peanuts, and a bright lime dressing — a dish worth seeking out at restaurants like Hai Hai in Minneapolis. This version isn’t traditional by any means, skipping the red curry and leaning into the nutty flavor of toasted sesame oil and tangy rice vinegar instead. Here are the key ingredients:
- Crispy rice – Easy to make in the oven using day-old rice, plus tamari, sesame oil, and salt to season the rice and help it crisp up as it bakes.
- Marinated cucumbers – Persian cucumbers sliced and tossed with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt to give them a pickle-y pop. Thin-skinned English cucumber works well too; just slice it into half-moons instead of rounds. If regular cucumbers are all you have, peel and seed them before adding them to the salad.
- More fresh vegetables and herbs – Along with the cucumbers, avocado, scallions, edamame, and mint pack this salad with a veggie punch. If you have more herbs on hand, feel free to load them on — cilantro and basil would both be fantastic.
- Sesame ginger dressing – A lightly creamy, nutty dressing made with tahini, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, tamari, honey, and ginger.
Spicy chili crisp and crunchy roasted peanuts take this salad over the top.
How to Make Crispy Rice Salad
This crispy rice salad recipe comes together in four simple steps:
1. Start by making the crispy rice. It crisps up in a 400°F oven in about 25 minutes. Toss halfway through so that it cooks evenly. Find more tips for making it in the crispy rice post.
2. Marinate the cucumbers. Toss them with the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt and set them aside for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. You want the dressing to have a creamy, drizzleable consistency. If it’s too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen it.
4. Assemble the salad. If you’re serving this salad as a main dish, divide the cucumbers into 4 bowls, leaving any excess water behind. Top with the avocado, scallions, and peanuts and drizzle with some dressing, then pile on the crispy rice and mint. Drizzle with chili crisp, season to taste, and serve with more dressing on the side.
- Side dish option: Assemble the salad on a large serving platter instead.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This salad is best right after it’s assembled because the avocado browns and the crispy rice and peanuts lose their crunch as they sit. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
If you’re meal prepping this salad, prep the components in advance and store them separately. The crispy rice keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, and the marinated cucumbers and dressing will last for up to 4. Assemble right before serving.
More Salad Recipes to Try
If you love this recipe, try one of these delicious salads next:
