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Home » Sides

Grain Salad

Published: Mar 3, 2024 · Modified: Oct 27, 2024 by Lisa Russo

Spread the hangry love....

This grain salad can be a side dish…. or a full-blown, scrumptious meal that also happens to be vegan, gluten-free and low FODMAP. It's perfect for those impromptu gatherings when you're unsure of dietary needs. It's a great bring-a-plate for a barbecue because it's a bit different.

And here's the kicker – it takes a mere 15 minutes to whip up! Forget the misconception that grain-based recipes are time-consuming. This one relies on the convenience of ready-cooked lentils, rice and quinoa. Quick, delicious and as healthy as cooking from the dried versions (without all the fuss).

Big white bowl full of grain salad. Toasted seeds in a small bowl nearby.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 🥗 Other Salads

What's in this grain salad?

  • Low-GI, toothsome grains for lasting satisfaction
  • Stove-toasted seeds for crunch, enhanced crispiness, flavour and colour.
  • Fresh herbs bring a touch of lightness and vibrant hues.
  • Dried cranberries provide natural pops of sweetness.
  • Vinegary capers for a tangy kick.
  • A light olive oil and lemon dressing ties everything together.

The best part? It keeps much better than most salads, making it a great make-ahead dish. It won't monopolise your precious fridge space when you're cooking for a crowd. You could make up a batch to eat over the whole of the following week and you won't be hating it by day two.

Say goodbye to the hassle of soaking and cooking dried grains. Pre-cooked grains streamline the process for you. Zero pots and pans involved. Not all convenience food is bad for you. This grain salad is a game-changer. Convenience without compromising flavour or your health.

🥘 Ingredients

Ingredients required to make grain salad.

Lentils – one can of no-salt added lentils. These are pre-cooked and only need to be rinsed and drained.

Brown Rice & Quinoa – the Sunrise brand in Australia sell a 250g pouch of these combined. It is available in most supermarkets. I'm sure that you would fine a version of these wherever you live.

Black Rice – again, available in 250g pouches.

Seeds – pumpkin (‘pepitas’), sunflower and pine nuts.

Fresh Herbs – coriander, parsley and chives.

Dried Cranberries – dehydrated versions of fresh cranberries, retaining a sweet and tart flavour. They provide a chewy texture and bursts of natural sweetness.

Capers – found pickled in jars in most supermarkets, along with other items like olives. They are small, green flower buds. Harvested from the caper bush, they have a tangy and salty flavour.

Dressing – made simply - with olive oil, lemon zest and juice and a touch of salt.

Is this recipe low FODMAP?

Yes! I have used the Monash University FODMAP app as my resource. If you're in the initial (elimination) phase of the FODMAP diet, the ingredients with FODMAPs are within the low serve range. This is assuming you stick to the portion size suggested here (which is generous).

🔪 Instructions

Toasting Seeds

Seeds add crunch and flavour to the salad, even more so when we toast them first. We can do this in a dry pan (no need for oil) over low-medium heat. Don’t forget about them, they can burn quite easily. Stir them often.

Before and after photo collage showing toasting seeds in a cast iron pan.

You can combine the rest of the salad ingredients in a bowl. Start with the packets of rice and quinoa to allow them to cool a bit before adding everything else. Follow the instructions on the rice packets for reheating. They are already cooked, but heating them serves to soften and freshen them. It's also good to combine everything slightly warm for extra help to meld flavours.

Ingredients for grain salad in a black bowl ready to be tossed together.

📖 Recipe

Grain salad in a white bowl with a small dish of toasted seeds to the side.
Print Recipe
Speedy, gluten-free and low FODMAP grain salad. Ready in 15 minutes. Delicious, healthy and convenient. Cook smarter, not harder! Comes together in one bowl. Great make-ahead salad.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Servings: 6
Author: Hangry Miss

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
  • 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 425 g can no added salt lentils (drained weight will be about 200g)
  • 250 g ready-cooked packet brown rice and quinoa
  • 250 g ready-cooked packet black rice
  • large handful coriander leaves (about 20g)
  • small handful parsley leaves (about 10g)
  • chives (about 5g)
  • 50 g dried cranberries
  • 40 g capers
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 lemon – juice and zest

Instructions

  • Toast Seeds – preheat a dry pan over low-medium heat. Add the sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Without multi-tasking (!), keep an eye on them, stirring often, until they are very slightly browned. Then add the pine nuts (which brown faster). Continue cooking, stirring often until nicely toasted (but not burnt!). This will take 3-5 minutes. Tip onto a plate in a single layer to cool once done.
    3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
    3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
    3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • Rinse Lentils – Empty the can of lentils into a sieve over the sink. Rinse under running water until the water runs clear. Tip the drained lentils into a bowl large enough to be able to toss all the ingredients.
    425 g can no added salt lentils
  • Prepare Quinoa/Rice – microwave the pouches of rice and quinoa as per the instructions on the packet (typically 1-3 minutes each). If you don't have a microwave, you can reheat on the stove top. Tip into the bowl with the lentils. Press out any clumps out with the back of a fork.
    250 g ready-cooked packet brown rice and quinoa
    250 g ready-cooked packet black rice
  • Prepare Rest of Salad – add ingredients to the bowl as you prepare them. Finely chop the coriander and parsley (you can bunch them together). Cut the chives into very short lengths. Finely chop the cranberries and capers. These are a similar size and shape and convenient to chop together.
    large handful coriander leaves
    small handful parsley leaves
    chives
    50 g dried cranberries
    40 g capers
  • Dress Salad – add the oil, salt, lemon juice and zest. Stir together.
    3 tablespoons olive oil
    ½ teaspoon salt
    1 lemon – juice and zest
  • To Serve- stir through the toasted seeds as close as possible to serving to retain crunch.

🥗 Other Salads

  • Colourful giant couscous salad in a large bowl.
    Giant Couscous Summer Salad
  • Top view of quinoa salad in a patterned bowl.
    Quinoa and Kale Salad with Cranberries and Toasted Seeds
  • Finely shredded colourful vegetables in a wooden bowl on a marble worktop.
    Coleslaw

More Sides

  • Plate of rice paper rolls, some cut in half to show rainbow-coloured fillings.
    🌈Rice Paper Rolls
  • Top view of a wide pan filled with macaroni cheese being served family style.
    Macaroni Cheese with a Bacon Crumb
  • Creamy buttery mash in a silver serving bowl.
    Mashed Potatoes
  • A pile of very crispy-looking roast potatoes in a silver bowl.
    Roast Potatoes

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me using a pasta machine with one of my sons.

Hello! I'm Lisa. I’m the recipe developer, cook, photographer, and author behind Hangry Miss. I am a genuinely angry/often hungry person, who finds it convenient to blame my Sicilian parents for both attributes.

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