This rice salad with tuna is the perfect make-ahead dish! Prep a large portion in advance, so it's ready to serve at summer barbecues and potlucks!
It's a cold Italian rice salad with tuna that is a staple in Italy (or at least the Lazio region) for the summer. If we spent a whole day at the beach, someone would make insalata di riso to bring. That's where I remember eating it the most. Sitting under our ombrellone when it was time to have lunch and having this refreshing rice salad, along with some panini, and fresh fruit. And it seems like everyone else at the beach was doing the same thing - eating their insalata di riso.
Next time you're looking for a quick dinner, or a side dish to bring to a friend's house this summer, why don't you give it a try? I think you'll be glad you did!
What is Italian Rice Salad?
It's a cold rice dish that is often eaten during the summer in Italy. People make it different ways (everyone has their own recipe!), but it typically consists of cooked rice, vegetables, tuna, meat (ham) and mayonnaise.
The flavors of tuna, ham and mixed vegetables may seem strange together, but they actually work so well!
For this rice salad, the best rice to use is arborio or carnaroli, or any Italian short-grain rice - they cook well and keep their shape and texture, and have lots of starch to give the salad a nice texture.
The best tuna to use in this rice salad recipe is (surprise surprise) Italian canned tuna. It has so much more flavor than regular tuna because it's packed in olive oil - making it the perfect addition to this Italian dish. Using regular canned tuna in water will not have the same effect.
What can you add to Italian rice salad?
This recipe for tuna rice salad uses a very classic Italian combination of rice, canned tuna, mixed vegetables in a jar, and ham. But there are infinite options to customize your rice salad.
Instead of using jarred mixed vegetables like this recipe suggests, you can use other vegetables like marinated artichokes, fresh cherry tomatoes, boiled eggs, mortadella, cubed cheese, red peppers, peas...
The beauty of this salad is that you can add whatever you'd like based on your personal preferences. Make it your own!
How to Make Tuna Rice Salad (Insalata di Riso) - Step by Step
In a large pot, add about 3L of water and the bouillon cube. Bring to a boil. Add the rice and let it cook until tender, about 20-25 mins. Drain the rice from the water and rinse with cold water. Since this is a cold rice salad, you want to work with cold rice. Let the rice drain if possible, so you're not working with wet rice. Place cold, drained rice in a large bowl (photo 1)
To the rice, add pickled vegetables (drained), tuna, ham, and olives (photo 2)
Mix in well with the rice. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Add olive oil and mix again (photo 3 & 4)
Place bowl in fridge and let the rice salad sit for at least one hour, can even be up to overnight.
When about ready to serve the salad, add mayonnaise and mix well (photos 5 & 6)
How to store it:
You can make the rice up to the step where the mayo is added, and store it in the fridge. Store it in an air-tight container so it lasts longer.
Make it ahead:
Making this tuna rice salad ahead of time is easy! Just make the salad up to the step where the mayo is added. Do not add the mayo! Store in the fridge until you're ready to serve it. Then add the mayo - mix it in, and serve!
How long does rice salad last in the fridge?
It will last up to 4 days in the fridge. All the ingredients keep really well. If you modify the recipe and add more fresh vegetables for example, it will not keep as long.
Top Tips:
- For the pickled mixed vegetables in the rice salad, you can use regular jarred pickled vegetables like these, and cut them into smaller pieces.
Or, if you can find it, you can use GustoRiso, which is a mix made especially for Italian rice salad. You should be able to find it in an Italian grocery store in your city. - You can customize this rice salad recipe to your liking, Instead of using jarred vegetables, you can make your own mix by using things such as marinated artichokes, fresh peppers, tomatoes, peas, cubed cheese etc.
- The mayonnaise amount is an approximation. Some people like more mayo, some like less in their rice salad. Start with adding just ยฝ cup of mayonnaise, then see if you would like to add more.
- The best rice to use for this dish is arborio or carnaroli rice. It will produce the best texture for a salad of this type.
- Before adding mayonnaise to the salad, it will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
- You may notice that I added extra black olives to the rice salad. This is because I really like olives and like the extra flavor that they add.
What to serve with tuna rice salad:
This salad is great for summer barbecues and gatherings, so this dish is the perfect accompaniment to barbecue food:
Other Italian summer recipes you might like:
- Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad
- Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta with Burrata
- Grilled Peaches with Whipped Vanilla Bean and Honey Ricotta
If you’ve tried making this Tuna Rice Salad, or any other recipe on the blog please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.
Recipe
Italian Rice Salad with Tuna (Insalata di Riso)
Ingredients
- 3 cups Arborio rice
- 1 bouillon cube
- 4 cups jarred pickled mixed vegetables *see recipe notes
- 1.5 cups cubed ham (cut into 2cm pieces)
- 1 cup Italian tuna in olive oil, drained
- 1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup mayonnaise *see recipe notes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add about 3L of water and the bouillon cube. Bring to a boil. Add the rice and let it cook until tender, about 20-25 mins. Drain the rice from the water and rinse with cold water. Since this is a cold rice salad, you want to work with cold rice. Let the rice drain if possible, so you're not working with wet rice. Place cold, drained rice in a large bowl.
- To the rice, add pickled vegetables (drained), tuna, ham, and olives. Mix in well with the rice. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Add olive oil and mix again.
- Place bowl in fridge and let the rice salad sit for at least one hour, can even be up to overnight.
- When about ready to serve the salad, add mayonnaise and mix well. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- For the pickled mixed vegetables in the rice salad, you can use regular jarred pickled vegetables like these, and cut them into smaller pieces.
Or, if you can find it, you can use GustoRiso, which is a mix made especially for Italian rice salad. You should be able to find it in an Italian grocery store in your city. - You can customize this rice salad to your liking, Instead of using jarred vegetables, you can make your own mix by using things such as marinated artichokes, fresh peppers, peas, cubed cheese etc.
- The mayonnaise amount is an approximation. Some people like more mayo, some like less in their rice salad. Start with adding just ยฝ cup of mayonnaise, then see if you would like to add more.
- The best rice to use for this dish is arborio or carnaroli rice. It will produce the best texture for a salad of this type.
- Before adding mayonnaise to the salad, it will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
- You may notice that I added extra black olives to the rice salad. This is because I really like olives and like the extra flavor that they add.
Alma Beatrice says
Yes, I tried to make it and used sushi rice, enoki mushrooms, sweet corn, Italian seasoning, Costco artichoke hearts , 4 eggs added some peppers. This is good for summer lunch, dinner or picnic salad.
Pina says
Awesome Alma! Loved that you added your own spin to it. And yes - it's a great summer dish! Thank you.
Lisa Bellavia says
We love Sperlonga!
Pina says
Awesome! Me too ๐ It's truly a special place.