Harvest Black Rice Salad Recipe

This black rice salad recipe is topped with roasted pumpkin, harissa, and goat cheese for a delicious, flavorful, gluten free and healthy fall meal!

Pin Harvest Black Rice Salad

Oh hey HELLLLO!

Are you ready for a recipe that I should have posted before Halloween due to the fact that the colors would have been totally perfect for a healthier Halloween meal?

I mean black and orange. Doesn’t get more classic than that.

Oh well, you know me, always a little late to the party so this probably doesn’t surprise you at all.

Today is the first time I’m making a black rice recipe for you! Which is very exciting since I feel like I usually stick to similar flavor profiles that I love so always fun to SWITCH IT UP.

Plus, there’s a good chance you’ve never had black rice (and maybe even roast pumpkin!) so YOU get an opportunity to try something NEW.

What is black rice?

Black rice (also called purple or forbidden rice) is a range of rice types that has very high levels of anthocyanins. These anthocyanins are what gives it the dark, purplish color. It has a similar fiber content to brown rice and has a similar nutty taste.

How to Cook Black Rice

You cook black rice just like most rice!

Combine

Combine water and the black rice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Simmer

Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the rice is fluffy and cooked, about 40 minutes to an hour.

Fluff

Once the rice is cooked, fluffy it immediately with a fork and serve!

Can I use different rice?

I think this black rice salad recipe would also be really great with another earthy rice, such as wild rice. I wouldn’t recommend any kind of white rice as it will be too sticky and not have the same depth of flavor that you need to make this totally delicious!

Black Rice Salad Ingredients

This salad seriously has the GOODS. To make it you will need:

• Black rice (obviously)
• A whole pie pumpkin
• Olive oil
• Harissa
• Garlic
• Pepitas
• Cumin Seeds
• Goat Cheese
• Cilantro

What is Harissa?

Harissa is a spicy and aromatic chile paste that’s staple in North African and Middle Eastern cooking!

Its add this warm, spicy undertone to this salad that pairs perfectly with the smooth, creamy goat cheese and the chewy brown rice with crunchy pumpkin seeds. But, if you don’t have Harissa, you can use sriracha. It’s not QUITE the same, but still totally delicious.

A salad for all occasions

What I like best about this salad is that it’s super versatile.

• You could serve it alongside some easy gluten free stuffing and scalloped sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving
• You could meal prep it for lunches throughout the week
• You could make a smaller batch and add some protein and serve it as kind of a Buddha bowl for dinner!

See? Dinner, side dish, meal prep, this jewel toned little salad can DO IT ALL.

3 cheers for easy recipes that cover ALL the bases!

Other Healthy Rice Recipes

Cheesy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole

One Pot Rice Casserole with Pumpkin

Cilantro Lime Instant Pot Rice

Recipe

Harvest Black Rice Salad Recipe

3.50 from 2 votes

Print

Rate

Serves: 8 People, as a side

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 45 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour

Ingredients

• 2 Cups water
• 1 Cup Uncooked Black rice
• Pinch of salt

For the pumpkin:

• 4 Cups Peeled Pumpkin chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1 small pie pumpkin)
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Harissa
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic, minced
• Salt

For the pepitas

• 1/4 Cup Pepitas
• 1/2 tsp Olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Extras

• 1 Tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro roughly chopped (or to taste)
• 2 Oz Goat cheese crumbled
• Additional Harissa, for garnish
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

• Begin by combining the water are the black rice in a large sauce pan with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then turn down to low, cover, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 45 mints to 1 hour. Let stand for 15 minutes, without stirring, and then gently fluffy with a fork.
  
• While the rice cooks, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large bowl, toss together the pumpkin cubes, oil, harissa and garlic. Mix until the pumpkin is evenly coated and then place the cubes onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and roast until fork tender, about 10-15 mins.
  
• Combine the pepitas and olive oil in a small bowl and spread out onto a small baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and place into the oven during the last 5 minutes that the pumpkin cooks, so that they are lightly toasted.
• Place the cumin seeds in a small, dry pan set on high heat and toast, stirring constantly until lightly golden brown and fragrant, just a minute or so. Transfer them to a chopped board and crush them using the underside of a glass cup. You can also use a spice grinder if you want them really fine. Toss the crushed cumin seeds into the cooked rice and stir so that it gets evenly distributed throughout the rice.
• Mix the rice with the pumpkin, cilantro and goat cheese and taste. Mix in anymore harissa or salt if desired.
  
• DEVOUR

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 142.2kcal (7%) Carbohydrates: 21.6g (7%) Protein: 4.5g (9%) Fat: 5.1g (8%) Saturated Fat: 1.4g (9%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.4g Cholesterol: 3.3mg (1%) Sodium: 263.2mg (11%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 2.4g (3%) Vitamin A: 93.2IU (2%) Vitamin C: 7.2mg (9%) Calcium: 2.4mg Iron: 5.7mg (32%)

Nutrition Disclaimer

Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.

Author: FoodFaithFitness

Course:Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine:American

Share your creationsTag @foodfaithfit and hashtag it #foodfaithfitness so I can see what you made!

Rate It

FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:

• Harissa
• Salad Bowl
• Olive oil
• Baking Sheet

WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PER SERVING: FREESTYLE POINTS: 4 POINTS+: 4  OLD POINTS: 3

(Based on the recipe serving 8 people, as a side dish)

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