Crispy Rice Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

The magic of this crispy rice salad—and yes, it IS magic—lies in the contrasts in its textures and flavors. This is always where Asian salads (like this Easy Asian Slaw Recipe or Asian Cucumber Salad) shine. They’ve got a balance of sweet and savory, along with ingredients that range from crisp to tender and juicy. But this crispy rice salad does one better than your typical Asian-inspired salad because: crispy rice!

If you love crispy rice bowls at Sweetgreen, you’re going to love being able to make that addictive crispy rice at home. Bake it in the oven until it’s browned and crisp, then break it apart and add it to the salad. It makes the salad more satisfying since it bulks up the veggies, and the texture it adds is completely irresistible. 

This crispy rice salad makes for a tasty lunch, but you can use it as a side dish with proteins like Teriyaki Grilled Flank Steak too. It’s also excellent for meal prep since cabbage stands up well to the refrigerator!

Ingredients for Crispy Rice Salad

Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.

Crispy Rice:

• Cooked Rice – I use jasmine rice; cook and cool it or, even better, use leftover rice that’s been in the fridge for a day or two.
• Soy Sauce – Or tamari to make it gluten-free.
• Sesame Oil – I like to use toasted sesame oil for its nutty flavor.
• Chili Crisp – I love the one from Trader Joe’s, which has little bits of crunchy onion for savory flavor.

Salad:

• Persian Cucumbers – Or an English cucumber if you can’t find Persian.
• Edamame – Pop them out of their shells if they’re not already!
• Green Onions – Use the greens only for a milder onion flavor, or use both whites and greens if you like a little more crunch and onion flavor.
• Red Cabbage – I love crisp-crunchy cabbage in this salad, but if you’re not a fan, romaine would be excellent too.
• Red Bell Pepper – Or use yellow or orange, which have a similar sweet flavor.
• Mandarin Oranges – The canned ones are fine! Drain them well.
• Fresh Herbs – Basil, mint, and/or cilantro would work well with the flavors in this crispy rice salad.
• Salted Peanuts – More crunch! Cashews would be amazing too.

Marmalade Vinaigrette:

• Lemon – You’ll need the juice and the zest.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – You can’t make a vinaigrette without vinegar!
• Orange Marmalade – My secret ingredient for the tastiest vinaigrette.
• Garlic Powder – This adds a nice savory flavor without the sharpness of fresh garlic.
• Herbs de Provence – I added my homemade Herbs de Provence Recipe.
• Olive Oil – Use a good one for the tastiest vinaigrette!
• Salt and Black Pepper – I use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

How to Make Crispy Rice Salad

Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full printable instructions.

1. Crisp the rice. Toss the rice with the soy sauce, chili crisp, and sesame oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing halfway through.
2. Toss the salad. Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing, add it to the salad, and toss to coat.
3. Serve. Add the crispy rice, toss again, and serve.

Tips for Making Crispy Rice Salad

Here’s my best advice for making the perfect crispy rice salad.

• Cook the rice until it’s crispy. The exact time needed will depend on the moisture in your rice, so keep an eye on it and toss it halfway through. If it needs longer, don’t hesitate to leave it in the oven until it’s super crispy!
• Use leftover rice if possible. If you have leftover rice in the fridge, this is the perfect recipe to use it up and give it new life, and it will be drier, so it won’t need quite as long as freshly cooked to get crispy.
• Dress it later. If you’re making this for meal prep lunches, I recommend bringing the dressing in a separate container and adding it right before serving. 

Variations

Here are some ways to switch up this crispy rice salad recipe:

• Add a protein. Honey Glazed Salmon, Coconut Shrimp, or even Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken would be great additions to this salad.
• Try other veggies and fruits. Use mango or pineapple instead of mandarin oranges, add some carrots for crunch, swap red cabbage for green—whatever!
• Swap out the dressing. My Miso Ginger Dressing would be delicious!

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To keep the salad as fresh as possible, you may want to store the crispy rice and dressing separately from the rest of the salad ingredients. 

What to Serve With Crispy Rice Salad

• Miso Glazed Salmon
• Chicken Katsu
• Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe
• Baked Spicy Asian Chicken Wings
• Kung Pao Shrimp
• Teriyaki Meatballs

More Satisfying Salad Recipes

• Thanksgiving Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Salad
• Dorito Taco Salad
• Lobster Pasta Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Greek Cucumber Noodle Salad