This beautiful curry rice salad is a vibrant, flavour-packed salad that's as easy to make as it is to love!
Ready in just 10 minutes, it's the perfect way to use up leftover rice and create something truly special.
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Finely diced green and red bell peppers, onion and juicy tinned peaches add pops of colour and sweetness, while a creamy dressing made with curry powder, mayo and chutney ties everything together in the most delicious way.
Ideal for a braai, BBQ, potluck or even as a packed lunch, this curried rice salad is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. In fact, I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't enjoy it!
If you love this curry rice salad, you'll want to check out the most popular recipe on our site: A South African curry noodle salad. It's just as vibrant and flavourful, making it a perfect pairing with our creamy potato salad.
Or, have a gander at this collection of our favourite BBQ salad recipes!
What's to love about this recipe
- A cold rice salad that's ready in just 10 minutes.
- Perfect for using up extra rice.
- A creamy curry dressing with sweet and savoury notes.
- Ideal for braais, BBQs, potlucks or packed lunches.
- Always a hit - everyone loves it!
- Perfect to make a day in advance.
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
Rice
This salad is perfect for using up leftover rice, but if you don't have any on hand, it's easy to whip up a fresh batch.
For 2 cups of cooked rice, simply cook 1 cup of dry rice with 1.5 cups of water and ½-1 teaspoon of salt (you may have a little bit of leftover rice with 1 cup dry).
It's always a good idea to rinse the rice before cooking to remove excess starch - this helps ensure the rice doesn't stick together. This salad won't work with sticky, mushy rice.
You can use any long-grain white rice or even brown rice if you prefer - though white rice tends to work better for this salad.
Just make sure the rice is completely cool before mixing in the veggies, you don't want them wilting!
At a push, you can use instant microwave rice, but really...it's just not the same as home-cooked rice.
Tinned peaches
We always go for tinned peaches in syrup, not in juice. The syrup brings just the right touch of extra sweetness that makes everything pop.
If you can, try to get a tin of good-quality peaches. Budget options can sometimes be a bit too soft, making them prone to breaking and not holding their shape in the salad.
Chutney
You'll definitely want to use a fruity chutney for this curried rice salad - something like mango or peach works great (Mrs Ball's if you're in SA!).
Stay away from chutneys like red onion or tomato - they just won't hit the right note.
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Step-by-step instructions
1. Add the mayonnaise, fruit chutney, lemon juice, oil, curry powder and sugar to a bowl.
2. Whisk together until everything is well combined and there are no small lumps of curry powder left.
3. Add the rice, diced red and green peppers, diced onion, chunks of peaches and the mixed dressing to a large bowl.
4. Gently fold all the ingredients together until the rice is fully coated in the dressing and everything is evenly spread throughout the salad.
5. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
5. Transfer the curry rice salad to a serving bowl. If you like, you can top it with extra peach slices and a little extra sprinkle of black pepper for a finishing touch.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Top Tips
Rinse the rice first before cooking! This helps prevent mushy, sticky rice. You want all the grains to be nicely separated for the salad.
Let the rice cool down fully before adding the veggies and dressing - this will keep the veggies crisp and fresh.
Go easy on the lemon juice. Start with 1 tablespoon and taste, then add more if you want a little extra zing.
Chop the veggies finely. This salad works best when everything is in small, bite-sized pieces, so avoid big chunks.
Variations
Some people like to get creative and add extra ingredients to this salad for an even bigger flavour boost. Here are a few ideas:
- Cubes of cheese
- Raisins
- Dried apricots
- Toasted nuts
- Dried cranberries
- Avocado
- Cubes of ham
- Crispy fried bacon pieces
- Cold, diced chicken pieces
- Apple
- Celery
Serving suggestions
This salad pairs wonderfully with grilled meat from the BBQ, or really with just about anything else you're serving. Here are some ideas:
The best grilled Chinese chicken on a stick
Crustless bacon and mushroom quiche
Creamy chicken, leek and bacon pie
Storage
To store this salad, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
It's best served fresh, but it will still taste great the next day, making this the perfect salad to make ahead.
Just be aware that it's not suitable for freezing, as the texture of the rice and veggies could change once thawed.
Recipe
Curry Rice Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fruit chutney - like mango or peach
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice - to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the salad
- 2 cups cooked rice - white or brown
- ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
- ½ green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 small onion, finely diced - or shallot
- 110 grams (4oz) tinned peaches, roughly chopped - properly drained
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the mayonnaise, fruit chutney, lemon juice, oil, curry powder and sugar to a bowl.2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons fruit chutney, 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon mild curry powder, 1 teaspoon sugar
- Whisk together until everything is well combined and there are no small lumps of curry powder left.
- Add the rice, diced red and green peppers, diced onion, chunks of peaches and the mixed dressing to a large bowl.2 cups cooked rice, ½ red bell pepper, finely diced, ½ green bell pepper, finely diced, 1 small onion, finely diced, 110 grams (4oz) tinned peaches, roughly chopped
- Gently fold all the ingredients together until the rice is fully coated in the dressing and everything is evenly spread throughout the salad.
- Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.salt and black pepper to taste
- Transfer the curry rice salad to a serving bowl. If you like, you can top it with extra peach slices and a little extra sprinkle of black pepper for a finishing touch.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Top Tips
Rinse the rice first before cooking! This helps prevent mushy, sticky rice. You want all the grains to be nicely separated for the salad. Let the rice cool down fully before adding the veggies and dressing - this will keep the veggies crisp and fresh. Go easy on the lemon juice. Start with 1 tablespoon and taste, then add more if you want a little extra zing. Chop the veggies finely. This salad works best when everything is in small, bite-sized pieces, so avoid big chunks.
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
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Debbie says
Just like when I grew up! ❤️ so delicious
Maretha Corbett says
Hey Debbie!
So glad it evoked some memories for you - thank you for the lovely comment!
Maretha x