What does it say about me that my two favorite kinds of salad are bread salad and rice salad— both of which made it into this cookbook? Just like a horoscope, I believe our food choices say a lot about us. As a Taurus, I’m all about indulgence, which probably explains the added carbs. This crispy rice salad, in particular, is packed with herbs and a savory soy dressing. If you’ve got leftover rice and a bunch of herbs in your fridge, this is your next meal . . . No leftover rice? No worries— just cook some, spread it over a baking sheet in an even layer, and let it cool completely in the fridge before frying for the crispiest crunch.
recipe 
yields
Serves 4 as a side, or 2 as a main
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups leftover long-grain white rice
Salt
4 cups lettuce leaves of your choice, finely chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
½ cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 Persian cucumbers, finely chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced (seeded if you want less heat)
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
Sesame seeds
Lime wedges
For the Dressing
For the Salad
For Serving
steps
Make the Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic until well combined. Season with black pepper.
Make the Salad
- Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Line a plate with paper towels. When the oil is shimmering, add the rice and cook, stirring just a few times to break up any large clumps, until crispy and golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes (or possibly longer, depending on how moist the rice is). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy rice to the paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt.
- In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cilantro, mint, basil, cucumbers, scallions, bell pepper, and crispy fried rice. Drizzle with the dressing to taste and toss well to combine.
- Top the salad with the jalapeño and sprinkle with the peanuts and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Date Published: 04.25.25
share
-
Recipe reprinted with permission from
Scratch That: Embrace the Mess, Cook to Impress by Alix Traeger©2025. Published by Union Square & Co. Photographs by Kristin Teig.
