Brown Rice, Kale, Beet and Feta Salad Recipe

This brown rice, kale, beet and feta salad recipe is a perfect side dish. It also makes an impressive dish for entertaining. This dish is full of healthy goodness and delicious flavor.

Brown Rice Salad with Kale Beets and Feta Recipe

For this recipe, I’ve used kale preserved from my garden which has been blanched and frozen. You can read more in our article How to Freeze Kale here and you can read about growing your own kale here: Growing Kale: Planting, Caring, and Harvesting Kale.

To defrost the kale, place the freezer bag full of frozen kale into warm water in the sink. The bag will float on top of the water, so be sure to turn the bag over every few minutes to allow the kale to defrost on both sides.

Defrosting frozen Kale - Brown Rice Kale Beet Feta Salad

For this brown rice salad, I’ve used fresh beets grown in my garden. To prepare them, I clean the beets by washing them, removing the leaves and roots, and then gently simmering them in water.

Beetroot needs a longish cooking time – for 5 small beets, allow about 45 minutes. The beets are ready when a skewer or fork can easily pierce them.

Then, when cool to the touch, simply peel off the beet skin and dice into pieces. Whole canned beets or grocery-precooked and packaged beetroots can also be used instead.

Beets - Brown Rice Kale Beet Feta Salad

Ingredients for Making Brown Rice Kale Beet and Feta Salad

2 teaspoons Olive Oil

2/3 Cups Frozen Kale – defrosted

1.5 Cups Brown Rice

3 Cups Water

2 Garlic Cloves

5 Beets – cooked and diced

2 Celery Stalks – chopped finely

1/4 Cup Feta

1/4 Cup Pine Nuts

1/4 Cup Pepitas

Salt and Pepper to taste

Finish with a drizzle of Olive Oil

Dressing:

8 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Honey

Brown Rice Salad Recipe with Kale Beets and Feta

How to Make Brown Rice Kale Beet and Feta Salad

Start by defrosting the kale.

Next, put the brown rice on to cook. I use a rice cooker with a ratio of 1.5 cups of brown rice to 3 cups of water for this recipe. Allow 30-40 minutes for brown rice to cook.

Meanwhile, put a pan on medium-high heat.

When the pan heats up, add the olive oil to the pan and chopped garlic cloves.

Next, add the defrosted kale to the pan and cook gently.

Kale and Garlic in the Pan - Brown Rice Kale Beet Feta Salad Recipe

Reserving the brown rice, for now, combine all the other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Including the cooked kale and garlic, beets, chopped celery, pine nuts, pepitas and feta with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix up the salad dressing in a small glass jar by combining the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and honey. Put the lid on the jar and give it a shake.

Pour the dressing onto the salad ingredients.

And finally, it’s time to assemble the salad. Spoon the brown rice onto a serving plate and top it with all the salad ingredients. Topping the ingredients onto the brown rice is a presentation choice that will stop the rice from being colored by the beets.

Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

If you’re looking for more yummy rice dishes, you might like to see Oyster Mushroom Risotto Recipe, Vegetarian Mushroom Cabbage Rolls – Polish Golabki Recipe or this delicious Onigiri Recipe.

Brown Rice Kale Beet and Feta Salad Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
  • 2/3 Cup Frozen Kale (135g)
  • 1 ½ Cups Brown Rice
  • 3 Cups Water, for cooking the rice
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 5 Beets Cooked and Diced
  • 2 Celery Stalks Chopped finely
  • 1/4 Cup Feta Crumbled
  • 1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
  • 1/4 Cup Pepitas
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Dressing

  • 8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey

Instructions

  • Start by defrosting the kale.
  • Next put the brown rice on to cook. I use a rice cooker with a ratio of 1 ½ cups of brown rice to 3 cups of water for this recipe. Allow 30-40 minutes for brown rice to cook.
  • Meanwhile, put a pan on a medium-high heat.
  • When the pan heats up, add the olive oil to the pan and chopped garlic cloves.
  • Next add the defrosted kale to the pan and cook gently.
  • Reserving the brown rice for now, combine all the other salad ingredients into a large bowl. Including the cooked kale and garlic, beets, the chopped celery, pine nuts, pepitas and feta with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Mix up the salad dressing in a small glass jar by combining the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and honey. Put the lid on the jar and give it a shake.
  • Pour the dressing onto the salad ingredients.
  • And finally it’s time to assemble the salad. Spoon the brown rice on to a serving plate and top with all the salad ingredients. Topping the ingredients onto the brown rice is a presentation choice that will stop the rice from being colored by the beetroot.
  • Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Brown Rice Kale Beet and Feta Salad

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Further reading:

Brown Rice Kale Beet and Feta Salad - Recipe