Cooking in Bulk: Salads

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In the warmer months, we might feel like something cold for lunch or a snack. We can, of course, make a salad from scratch, but we might also like to have something ready in the fridge that we can dip into when we’re feeling peckish. These ‘make ahead’ salads are an ideal option.

brown-rice-saladThe following recipes have been designed to be kept refrigerated and consumed within a few days and are easy to make with readily accessible ingredients. As well as making a quick and easy snack or lunch, these salads are also useful for take-out lunches, when we’re asked to ‘bring a plate’ or for entertaining at home.

You’ll find that the rice salads use microwave brown rice. I’ve found that microwave rice, served cold as it comes, is perfect for a salad. Not only does it save on our boiling the rice ourselves, it’s cooked to just the right texture for a salad, and using the brown rice adds extra nutrition and a nutty flavour.

When you do feel like making a salad for one, you could try the entry Cold Salads from the Pantry.

 

Recipes:

Mixed Vegetable Salad

Coleslaw Deluxe

Rice and Bean Salad

Rice and Tuna Salad

Ham and Pasta Salad

Tuna and Pasta Salad

 

Mixed Vegetable Salad

  • 1 x 420gm can mixed peas, corn and carrot
  • 1 x 410gm can new potatoes
  • 1 x 125gm can diced capsicum
  • 2 tbsp. olive or canola oil
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Parsley, pepper and garlic granules

 

  1. Drain and rinse mixed vegetables and place in a large resealable container
  2. Drain, rinse and halve potatoes and add to bowl
  3. Add diced capsicum with liquid
  4. Stir lemon juice and spices into oil and stir into vegetables
  5. Refrigerate and consume within 3–4 days

Variation: substitute mayonnaise for oil and lemon juice (optional)

 

Coleslaw Deluxe

  • 400gm coleslaw mix (or ¼ cabbage, shredded and 1 carrot, grated)
  • ½ Granny Smith apple
  • ½ capsicum (red, green or yellow)
  • 1 small leek or bunch spring onions
  • ½ cup (approx.) mayonnaise
  • 1½ tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. sweet chilli sauce (optional)
  • Pepper and parsley

 

  1. Cut up any large pieces in the coleslaw mix
  2. Peel (optional) and finely slice the apple
  3. Finely chop the capsicum
  4. Finely slice white part of leek (or spring onion) including the tender part of the green ends and wash thoroughly
  5. Toss all the above together in a large resealable container
  6. Whip lemon juice into mayonnaise with pepper, parsley and sweet chilli sauce (optional)
  7. Stir mayonnaise into salad
  8. Refrigerate and consume within 3–4 days

Tip: the green parts of the leek can be stir fried (see Stir Fried Leek Greens)

 

Rice and Bean Salad

  • 1 x 250gm packet microwave brown rice
  • 1 x 420gm can mixed beans
  • 1 x 125gm can corn kernels
  • 1 x 125gm can diced capsicum
  • 2 tbsp. olive or canola oil

 

  1. Empty rice packet into a large resealable container
  2. Drain and rinse mixed beans and corn kernels and add to rice
  3. Add diced capsicum with liquid
  4. Stir in oil
  5. Refrigerate and consume within 3–4 days

 

Rice and Tuna Salad

  • 1 x 250gm packet microwave brown rice
  • 1 x 185gm can tuna in oil
  • 1 x 420gm can mixed peas, corn and carrot
  • 1 x 125gm can diced capsicum
  • Olive oil (optional)

 

  1. Empty can of tuna into a large resealable container and flake
  2. Add contents of rice packet
  3. Drain and rinse mixed vegetables and add to rice and tuna
  4. Add diced capsicum with liquid
  5. Stir together
  6. Add a little extra oil if required (optional)
  7. Refrigerate and consume within 3–4 days

 

Ham and Pasta Salad

  • 1 cup small macaroni, elbows or shells
  • 150gm diced ham (or bacon-style pieces)
  • ½ cup red capsicum, diced
  • ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
  • Chives, parsley and garlic granules
  • ½ cup (approx.) mayonnaise

 

  1. Boil pasta until al dente, drain, rinse and set aside to cool
  2. Blanch capsicum and peas for 10 minutes in boiling water and drain
  3. Place pasta in a large resealable container
  4. Add vegetables and diced ham
  5. Sprinkle with chives, parsley and garlic granules
  6. Stir in mayonnaise
  7. Refrigerate and consume within 3–4 days

 

Tuna and Pasta Salad

  • 1 cup small macaroni, elbows or shells
  • 1 x 185gm can tuna in oil
  • ½ cup red capsicum, diced
  • ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
  • Chives, parsley and garlic granules
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Boil pasta until al dente, drain, rinse and set aside to cool
  2. Blanch capsicum and peas for 10 minutes in boiling water and drain
  3. Empty oil from tuna into a cup and top up to two tablespoons with extra olive oil
  4. Turn tuna out onto a plate and flake
  5. Stir lemon juice, chives, parsley and garlic granules into oil
  6. Place pasta in a large resealable container
  7. Add vegetables and tuna
  8. Stir in dressing
  9. Refrigerate and consume within 3–4 days
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