Venus Rice Salad

Venus rice salad is a tasty and healthy dish, perfect for a light yet complete meal. Here is a basic recipe that you can customize according to your tastes or based on what you have in your pantry.

Ingredients

• 250 g Venus rice
• 100 g cherry tomatoes
• 70 g corn
• 150 g tuna in oil (optional)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 zucchini
• 100 g green beans
• Taggiasca or pitted black olives
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemon juice or balsamic vinegar for dressing

Preparation

1. Cook the Venus rice in plenty of salted water following the times indicated on the package (generally around 45 minutes), as it has longer cooking times than white rice.
2. Meanwhile, wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. If using tuna, drain it from the oil. Wash and dice the bell pepper and zucchini. Clean and cook the green beans in boiling water for about 10 minutes, then drain and cut them into small pieces.
3. In a pan with a drizzle of oil, briefly sauté the zucchini to make it more flavorful, if you prefer a softer texture.
4. Once the rice is ready, drain and rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking and to keep the grains well separated.
5. In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled rice with the cherry tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, zucchini, green beans, olives, and tuna (if you decide to include it).
6. Dress with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a little lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, according to your taste.
7. Mix all the ingredients well and let the flavors meld in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

This salad is very versatile and you can add other ingredients to taste, such as capers, fresh basil, diced feta cheese or walnuts for a crunchy touch.

Interesting Facts

Venus rice is an Italian whole grain rice of Piedmontese origin, known for its naturally black color and its nutritional properties. It is rich in anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that give it its characteristic dark hue.