So, you’ve got leftover rice and you’re not about to throw it away, right? Welcome to my Italian Rice Salad, the best cold rice salad recipe you’ll ever make. It’s the kind of dish that’s so easy, even your dog could make it (okay, maybe not your dog).
This summer rice salad is packed with tuna, olives, and all the good stuff that makes you feel like you’re at a fancy picnic—minus the fuss. Perfect for meal prep or those days you just want to look like you’re fancy without actually putting in much effort. Trust me, you’ll want to make this cold rice dish again and again.
Classic Italian Rice Salad (a.k.a. Fancy Cold Rice Party Bowl)
Equipment
- Large pot
- Mixing bowls
- Strainer
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting board
- Small pot
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rice for salads short-grain or parboiled rice works best
- 10 oz canned tuna in olive oil drained
- 4 cups chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 2 cups mixed pickled vegetables like carrots, mushrooms, artichokes, peppers, pearl onions
- ⅔ cup green olives whole or sliced
- ⅓ cup pitted black olives chopped
- 3 oz cooked ham diced (optional)
- 3 oz fontina or mozzarella cheese diced (optional)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons cold apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Boil the Rice: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rice according to package directions until just al dente—tender but still firm. Drain and don’t rinse it.1 ½ cups rice for salads
- Cool the Rice Smartly: While the rice is still hot, place it in a large mixing bowl and immediately stir in the cold vinegar or lemon juice. This cools the rice without turning it gummy. Chill the rice in the fridge.3 tablespoons cold apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- Prep the Lettuce: Chop the lettuce and toss it in a bowl with a little olive oil and salt. Keep it in the fridge to stay fresh and crisp.4 cups chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Prep the Tomatoes and Olives: Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and season them with a little olive oil and salt. Chop the black olives and slice or leave the green olives whole. Chill all of it until ready to assemble.1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, ⅔ cup green olives
- Cook the Eggs: Place the eggs in a small pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes until hard-boiled. Cool them under cold water, peel, slice or quarter them, and refrigerate.4 large eggs
- Mix in the Tuna: Once the rice has cooled, stir in the drained tuna until evenly mixed.10 oz canned tuna in olive oil
- Add Lettuce: Add the chilled, seasoned lettuce to the rice and mix well. You can toss in some arugula or baby spinach if you're feeling extra green.
- Chill Again: Let the rice salad rest in the fridge while everything else finishes cooling. This helps the flavors meld together.
- Finish the Mix: Add the chopped pickled vegetables, black olives, green olives, and finally the seasoned cherry tomatoes. Stir everything together until well combined.2 cups mixed pickled vegetables, ⅓ cup pitted black olives
- Optional Add-Ins: If using, stir in the diced ham and cheese. This adds a little extra richness and protein, but the salad is already a winner without them.3 oz cooked ham, 3 oz fontina or mozzarella cheese
- Top with Eggs: Place the sliced or quartered eggs over the top of the rice salad. Garnish with a few extra olives if you want it to look fancy.
- Store It Right: Keep the salad covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. It gets even better as it sits, making it perfect for lunches, picnics, potlucks, and showing off at your next summer gathering.
So You Think You Know Italian Rice Salad? Here’s What Actually Works (from Someone Who’s Made It 174 Times)
Let’s be honest—cold rice salad sounds easy, but it can go sideways fast. Gluey rice, bland dressing, soggy veggies… yeah, no thanks. Lucky for you, I’ve taken the hits so you don’t have to. Here’s what I’ve learned from too many bowls of “meh” to count.
🍚 Choose Your Rice Wisely, Hero
Put down the jasmine. Back away from the basmati. This is a job for short-grain or parboiled rice—anything that won’t fall apart the second it sees a fridge. If you use sushi rice, prepare to spoon up a rice pudding by accident.
❄️ Cool It, But Don’t Rinse It
I know the instinct is to blast it with cold water. Don’t. It washes away the starch that gives your rice salad flavor and body. Instead, hit it with super cold vinegar or lemon juice while it’s still warm. Stir it in like you mean it. Let it cool like a boss.
🥬 Dress Your Veggies First, Like They Deserve It
Don’t just dump plain lettuce and sad tomatoes into your bowl. Toss them with olive oil and salt before adding them to the rice. It makes everything taste better and prevents that tragic “wet leaf on white rice” moment.
🐟 Tuna Drama? You’ve Got Options
Hate tuna? Fine, be that person. Swap it with shredded rotisserie chicken, chickpeas for a veggie vibe, or even grilled shrimp if you’re feeling extra. This salad is chill—it won’t judge.
🧀 Ham & Cheese: Optional, But Let’s Be Real…
If you’ve got some diced ham or a block of cheese sitting around, cube it and throw it in. Fontina, mozzarella, or even cheddar if you’re wild. Is it authentic? Debatable. Is it delicious? Absolutely.
🥚 Egg-cellent Garnish (Sorry, Had To)
Hard-boiled eggs on top = fancy vibes with zero effort. Slice them pretty if you’re bringing this to a party. Or just quarter them and move on with your life.
🫒 Olives? Go All In.
Use both black and green. Trust me. The briny contrast is what keeps this from being just “rice with stuff in it.” Bonus points if you chop them—no one wants to fight a whole olive with a plastic fork.
📦 Meal Prep Royalty
This salad gets better the next day. Just stir it before serving and maybe hit it with a drizzle of olive oil to wake it up. It’s basically the Beyoncé of cold rice bowls for lunch—low-maintenance and always a hit.
Want to serve it warm? Don’t. It’s a cold rice dish, not a sad risotto. Stick to the chill vibes, and you’ll be fine.
