Black Rice Salad with Clams

Learn how to make a black rice salad with vegetables and clams: from choosing the ingredients to tips on how to cook the perfect rice salad!

The choice of black rice

Let's start with rice: the nutritional values ​​of black rice make it ideal for a balanced diet: its high fiber content promotes satiety and intestinal health, its low glycemic index makes it suitable even for those monitoring blood sugar levels, and its antioxidants fight free radicals. A true superfood from field to fork.

Preparation	Cooking	Rest	Difficulty	Portions
🕐 15 min	🕐 45 min	❄️ 30 min	😊 Easy	🍽️ 4 people

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• 320 g of gliAironi wholegrain black rice
• 500 g of fresh clams
• 1 lemon (juice and zest)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch of fresh parsley
• 4 tablespoons of quality EVO oil
• 1 fresh chili pepper (optional)
• Whole sea salt and black pepper to taste
• ½ glass of dry white wine

How to prepare a black rice salad with clams and vegetables?

1. Rinse the clams in plenty of cold, salted water, letting them drain for at least 2 hours. Discard any open clams that don't close when touched.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the brown rice and cook for 35–40 minutes (check the package directions). Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice—do not shorten the cooking time.
3. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of oil with a crushed garlic clove. Add the clams, deglaze with white wine, cover, and cook over high heat for 4–5 minutes until they open. Remove any that remain closed.
4. Shell the clams, leaving a few whole for display. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve—it's liquid gold, don't throw it away.
5. Drain the rice when al dente, run it under cold water for 20 seconds to stop the cooking, then spread it out on a tray to cool. Drizzle immediately with olive oil.
6. In a large bowl, combine the cold black rice with the clams, chopped parsley, grated lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2–3 tablespoons of the clam liquid. Toss gently.
7. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and add chili pepper if desired. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before serving: the rice will absorb the flavors and the result will be significantly better.

How to Cook Rice Salad to Perfection

Knowing how to cook rice salad with brown rice requires a little extra attention. The key is cooking : brown rice grains have the bran intact, which increases cooking time and requires more water. Many people make mistakes by undercooking them or removing the lid while they're resting.

For rice salad, the rice should be firm , dry , and flavorful — not mushy or sticky.