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Home » Recipes » Vegetarian

Cool rice salad with creamy yogurt dressing

Square headshot image of Family Food on the Table's Kathryn Doherty.
By Kathryn Doherty · Modified: Jan 2, 2026 · Published: Jun 16, 2015 · This post may contain affiliate links
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A cool rice salad with tomatoes, cucumber, basil and a creamy yogurt dressing - perfect for summer!A cold creamy rice salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and fresh basil in a white bowl.

This cool, creamy rice salad is great for warm weather when you don't feel like eating a plate full of steamy food. I add tomatoes and cucumber, drizzle with a dreamy yogurt-based dressing and top with fresh basil.

It screams summer!

A cold creamy rice salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and fresh basil in a white bowl with cherry tomatoes scattered to the side.

Close up of a cold creamy rice salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and fresh basil in a white bowl.

Plus, you can make this ahead of time and serve it cold or at room temperature.

It makes for a great potluck and picnic item, and frees you up to enjoy the party. Cause I don't want to have to fuss over food when I could be sipping a drink and chatting with friends or running around with the kiddos.

Sometimes both... 😉 All about the multi-tasking!

A white serving bowl full of a cold creamy rice salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and fresh basil.

This cool rice salad goes with everything - grilled or roasted chicken, fish, pork or steak. And if you've got a spicy dish, this will help cool things down. It's an ideal, get-along-with-everyone kind of side dish.

 

So if it's hot and humid outside, mix up this little rice salad and cool things down.

Enjoy!

 

Cool rice salad with creamy yogurt dressing
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Cool creamy rice salad with yogurt dressing

Cool down with this delicious creamy rice salad!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time35 minutes mins
Total Time50 minutes mins
Yield: 4 servings
Substitutions
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 ½ cups small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cucumber, diced small
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

Instructions

  • Cook brown rice.
  • While the rice cooks, chop your veggies and prepare the yogurt dressing.
  • Mix the yogurt, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper together in a small bowl until well combined.
  • When the rice is finished, rinse under cold water then lay it out on some paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Pat it dry and put rice in a large bowl.
  • Add tomatoes and cucumber. Add the yogurt mixture to the bowl and stir everything until it’s well combined.
  • Add the chopped basil and stir gently to combine.
  • Serve at room temperature or cold.

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Notes

If making ahead, wait and add the basil when you serve it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 291mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!

 ** What's your favorite cool side dish in warm weather?

A collage of images for a cold rice salad recipe made with cucumbers, tomatoes, yogurt and basil.
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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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