Tuna salad with rice and vegetables

 Ingredients: 150 g rice, 500 g zucchini diced, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 boiled carrots diced, 1 can of tuna (200 g), 1 lemon, 10 olives sliced, 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise, salt, pepper, basil, oregano

To prepare a delicious and nutritious salad, we start by boiling the rice. It will be cooked in boiling water, with a teaspoon of salt added to give it a pleasant taste. It is important to monitor the boiling time, which should not exceed 15 minutes, as we want the rice to be slightly cooked but not so much that it becomes soft, as is done for a pilaf. Once the rice is ready, we drain it in a colander and quickly rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking process and prevent the grains from sticking together. We let the rice drain well to ensure that the salad will not be watery.

Meanwhile, we take care of the vegetables. In a pan, we pour the oil and let it heat up a bit. We add the sliced zucchini, which will be sautéed for 4-5 minutes. It is essential to keep them slightly crunchy to add a pleasant texture to the salad. During the sautéing, we sprinkle salt and pepper so that the zucchini absorbs the flavors. Once they are ready, we take them off the heat and let them cool.

The next step is to take care of the tuna. We drain the tuna well from oil or water, depending on the type we are using, and add it to a large bowl. In this bowl, we add the drained rice, grated carrots, sliced olives, sautéed zucchini, creamy mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice for a tangy taste, and fresh basil and oregano flavors. It is important to season with salt and pepper to taste to ensure that each ingredient blends harmoniously.

After adding all the ingredients, we carefully mix, ensuring the composition is well homogenized. This mixture will then be transferred to a container and refrigerated for about 30 minutes, so the flavors can meld and the salad becomes tastier.

When we are ready to serve, we can garnish the salad with a few fresh basil leaves or whole olives for an appetizing look. This rice salad with tuna and vegetables is perfect for a light summer meal or as a side dish to a steak. Enjoy every bite and savor the combination of textures and flavors!

 Tags:  carrots rice oil zucchini salad olives lemon gluten-free recipes lactose-free recipes