Italian Farmer Rice Salad with Stuffed Onions
A classic Italian summer rice salad featuring al dente rice mixed with fresh vegetables, chicken, and salami, served inside hollowed boiled onions. The cool, refreshing dish combines tender peas, green beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, and celery, dressed simply with lemon, olive oil, and herbs. Perfect for warm-weather entertaining.
Ingredients
- 4 white onions, whole
- 1 cups ricelong grain rice1:1grains
chef notes parboiled or long grain as options
- 1 ¾ oz peas, shelled
- 1 ¾ oz green beans
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- 1 white celery
- 3 ½ oz fresh mushrooms
- 1 ¾ oz salami
- 5 ½ oz chicken meat, boiledham1:1protein
common substitution in Italian rice salads
- 1 lemon
- curly parsley
- extra virgin olive oil
- pepper
- salt
Instructions
- 1
Boil whole onions in lightly salted water until tender but holding their shape; drain, cool, cut off the top cap, and hollow out with a small knife.
- 2
Boil rice until al dente, drain thoroughly, spread on a dish to cool completely.
- 3
Boil peas and green beans separately, drain, and cool.
- 4
Dice green beans, celery, salami, and chicken into small pieces.
- 5
Skin tomatoes and slice them.
- 6
Clean mushrooms, slice them, and cook in oil.
- 7
Combine rice, peas, green beans, celery, salami, chicken, and tomatoes in a salad bowl; dress with lemon juice, pepper, salt, and olive oil.
- 8
Fill hollowed onions with the mixed salad and arrange on a serving dish.
- 9
Garnish with cooked mushrooms and fresh curly parsley.
Tips
Pass drained rice under cold water to prevent stickiness.
Spread cooled rice on a dish to ensure even cooling and separation of grains.
Ensure onions remain intact while boiling; they hold the final presentation.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days; serve chilled.
Prepare all components separately up to 1 day ahead; assemble and stuff onions up to 4 hours before serving.
Serve chilled on individual plates or from a serving platter; pair with white wines such as Piemonte Cortese or Langhe Arneis.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip cooling rice under water to avoid a gummy texture.
Do not overcook vegetables; maintain al dente texture for contrast.
Do not stuff onions more than 4 hours ahead to prevent sogginess.
Substitutions
chef notes parboiled or long grain as options