Antipasto brown rice salad on a serving plate

This antipasto brown rice salad looks like a simple rice salad, but it’s dressed up with all the good stuff: roasted peppers and zucchini, spiced chickpeas, kalamata olives, feta, and plenty of fresh mint and parsley. Bold flavors, all mixed together into a celebration in every bite.

The vegetables roast separately, so there’s a bit of a process, but I really think it’s worth it. It’s also a great salad to take to work.

Raw ingredients for antipasto brown rice salad in small bowls

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Bold flavors from roasted vegetables, olives, feta, and fresh herbs
A hearty, filling brown rice base
Keeps well for 3-4 days, great for packed lunches
Easy to shortcut with store-bought roasted peppers and zucchini

Key Ingredients & Substitutions:

Brown rice – cooked like rice here: fried briefly in oil, then simmered covered in a measured amount of water, and left covered off the heat to finish steaming. Leftover cooked brown rice works too, a great way to use it up.
Roasted peppers and zucchini – roast your own for the best flavor, or buy them ready-roasted and skip the roasting steps.
Feta cheese – for a vegan version, swap it for tofu.
Chickpeas – canned chickpeas work well, just rinse them.
Wine vinegar – red or white both work.

Overhead view of unmixed antipasto brown rice salad ingredients in a mixing bowl

Pro Tips for Success:

Roast more peppers, zucchini and chickpeas than the recipe needs and keep the extras in the fridge. They upgrade almost any salad or pasta dish, and they’re great as a snack too.
Leave the lid on for 5-10 minutes after the rice finishes cooking, then let it cool to room temperature before mixing everything together.
Go easy on the salt, the olives and feta are already salty.
You can roast the peppers, zucchini, and chickpeas at the same time, just keep an eye on the different roasting times.

Serving Suggestions

Pack it for lunch at work
Add a couple of cucumbers for extra crunch and freshness, but eat it right away, since once cucumbers go in, it doesn’t keep
Stir the extra roasted vegetables into pasta or other salads

FAQ

Can I use store-bought roasted vegetables? Yes, store-bought roasted peppers and zucchini work, just skip the roasting steps.
How do I make this vegan? Replace the feta with tofu.
How long does it keep? 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Can I use leftover cooked rice? Yes, this is a great way to use it up. Use roughly 2½-3 cups of cooked brown rice instead of cooking 1 cup uncooked, and skip the rice-cooking step.

Looking for more tasty recipes?

Antipasto Brown Rice Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings:

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Ingredients:

For the salad:

1 cup brown rice rinsed and drained
2 cups water for cooking the rice
2 red bell peppers (or store-bought roasted bell peppers)
2 zucchini (or store-bought roasted zucchini)
1 cup cooked chickpeas (canned, rinsed, works)
12 kalamata olives pitted and halved
2-3 green onions chopped
½ cup mint (1 bunch) finely chopped
½ cup parsley (1 bunch) finely chopped
5 oz (150g) feta cheese crumbled
1 tbsp wine vinegar (red or white)
6 tbsp olive oil (1 tbsp for the rice, 2 tbsp for the zucchini, 3 tbsp for the salad)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the roasted chickpeas:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Prep the oven: Preheat to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cook the rice: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the rice and fry for about a minute. Add 2 cups water, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook on low for about 45 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Keep the lid on for at least 5-10 more minutes off the heat, then let the rice cool to room temperature. (Have leftover cooked rice? Skip this step, see Notes.)
Roast the peppers (skip if store-bought): Place the peppers on a lined baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, turning them a couple of times. Carefully remove them from the oven and transfer them right away to a sealed plastic bag, or a pot or bowl with a tight lid. Let them sweat for about 20 minutes. Then remove the stems, seeds, and skin (it peels off easily), and cut into wide strips.
Roast the zucchini (skip if store-bought): Slice into ¼-inch (0.5cm) rounds and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, turning halfway, until the zucchini starts to brown. Let cool.
Roast the chickpeas: Toss the chickpeas with 1 tbsp olive oil, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes. Let cool.
Combine: In a large bowl, combine the rice, roasted peppers, zucchini, spiced chickpeas, olives, green onions, mint, parsley, and feta. Toss with 3 tbsp olive oil, the wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Be careful with the salt, since the olives and feta are already salty.
Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Notes:

Roast extra peppers, zucchini, and chickpeas and keep them in the fridge, they upgrade any salad or pasta dish, and make a great snack.
You can roast the vegetables a day ahead and assemble the salad the next day.
Have leftover cooked brown rice? It works great here. Use roughly 2½-3 cups cooked rice instead of cooking 1 cup uncooked, and skip step 2.
Store-bought roasted peppers and zucchini work too, just skip the
roasting steps.
You can roast the peppers, zucchini, and chickpeas at the same time, just pay attention to the different roasting times.
To make it vegan, replace the feta with tofu.
Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Did you make this recipe? Let me knowLeave a comment or share it on Instagram and tag #thehappylentils