Festive Rice Salad with Fresh Herbs, Pomegranate Arils, & Feta Cheese

Recipe by: EA

festive jasmine rice

This festive rice salad is packed with antioxidant rich pomegranate arils and fresh herbs~perfect for a nourishing and festive holiday side dish, or to enjoy as a main dish any time of the year. It’s quick and easy to make, and super versatile too!

For an extra nutrition boost, make it with red, purple, or black rice, which is higher in antioxidants than brown or white rice. And, for easier digestibility, try sprouted rice, or swap the rice with your favorite sprouted whole grain.


Prep Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked rice (red rice, sprouted rice, purple rice, etc)
  • 1 cup pomegranate arils
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup chopped fresh herbs of choice (i.e. mint + flat leaf parsley)
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, or vinegar of choice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir well to combine. Serve warm, at room temperature, or may be made ahead of time and served cold.

Recipe Notes

For ease of preparation, you can buy fresh pomegranate arils in the late fall and winter, or you can buy frozen ones year round.

For a vegan/dairy-free version, omit the feta cheese, or substitute with your favorite non-dairy cheese.

For a nut-free version, try sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead of pine nuts.

Yield; 6 side dish servings (¾ cup each), or 3 main dish servings (1 ½ cup each).

Dietary specifications: Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Low FODMAP

Nutrition for ¾ cup serving: 275 calories, 23 g carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 7 grams protein, 18 grams fat/5 grams saturated fat,22 mg cholesterol, 235 mg sodium.