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Italian rice salad with tuna, tomatoes, ham, olives and many other mix-ins in a dish
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Italian Rice Salad with Tuna

This Italian rice salad with tuna is the perfect make-ahead dish! Made with arborio rice and various mix-ins like canned tuna, tomatoes, olives, pickles, ham, cheese, and much more! Prep a large portion in advance, so it's ready to serve at summer barbecues and potlucks!
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting time 1 hour
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 10 people
Calories 599kcal
Author Pina Bresciani

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (680g) Arborio rice
  • 1 bouillon cube
  • 1 cup canned corn kermels
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup smoked provolone cubed
  • 1 cup ham cubed
  • 1 cup Italian tuna in olive oil, drained
  • 1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
  • 1 cup pickles diced
  • 1 cup pickled white pearl onions
  • 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 and let it cool until room temperature.
  • While the rice is cooling, boil the frozen peas - bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Add in the peas and boil until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • Add the rice to a large bowl and add in all the mix-ins: corn, peas, tomatoes, provolone, ham, tuna and olives.
  • Season with salt and pepper if desired and drizzle with olive oil
  • 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 if desired and mix well. Serve and enjoy! 

Video

Notes

  • The mayonnaise amount is an approximation. Some people like more mayo, some like less in their rice salad. I recommend adding the mayo just before serving, or, letting each person add it to their individual portion if they'd like
  • The traditional cheese to use is scamorza, but I find it hard to find in North America, so smoked provolone is a nice substitute. You can also use regular provolone or fontina
  • Storing: This dish is served cold which is nice! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days

Nutrition

Calories: 599kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 918mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 457IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 4mg