Curried Rice Salad with Apples and Raisins
Enjoy this perfectly spiced curried rice salad loaded with apples, raisins and almonds. Can be made ahead for fuss-free entertaining. Perfect for your summer parties, picnics or potlucks!
If you follow this blog then you’d know for sure that I am obsessed with rice! So obsessed, I even wrote a book about it!
Intrigued about this book? Find a copy of RICE. NOODLES. YUM. (EVERYONE’S FAVORITE SOUTHEAST ASIAN DISHES) here.
I guess it shouldn’t be such a surprise. After all, having come from the Philippines, that is almost to be expected. After all, we eat rice at least 3 times a day!
Yes, you read that right – at least 3 times a day! The three times would be morning, lunch and dinner! Of course, it’s not uncommon to have some rice components in our favorite snacks (rice cakes are popular for this!) or for dessert, too! Rice pudding in many variations are the readily available anywhere and everywhere!
So when I read this recipe from an old cookbook I found in Goodwill, I did not hesitate to try it!
I instantly fell in-love with the recipe when I saw it had apples, nuts and raisins included in it! That’s already a winning recipe in my opinion.
Most of all, I love that this particular recipe was seasoned and spice with curry powder, too! All that fruit, nuts and curry seasoning truly made this rice salad my instant favorite!
As you can see in the photos, this rice salad has the perfect blend of amazing flavors and textures. A hint of spice comes from the curry powder that perfectly contrasts with the sweetness from the apples and raisins not to mention the crunchy deliciousness coming from the toasted almonds!
An explosion of flavors in the mouth for sure!
What I love about this recipe is that it’s so convenient to make and provides the best option for fuss-free entertaining. You know why? Because it can be made a day ahead!
Then on the day you need to serve this, all you need to do is assemble the rice with the remaining ingredients to make one deliciously perfect salad!
Did I mention that this curried rice salad with its vibrant yellow color plus other equally brightly-colored ingredients makes this a one show-stopping dish at any table!
This is perfectly paired with seafood and grilled meats making this an ideal side dish for summer potlucks, birthdays, and gatherings.
Hope you enjoy this as much as my family does!
Curried Rice Salad with Apples and Raisins
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups uncooked long grain rice
- 4 green onions or scallions, sliced thinly
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (or to taste) mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup apples, chopped
- ½ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, saute the curry powder in butter until fully aromatic and butter is melted. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the rice and give it a quick stir. Cover then simmer on low for about 20 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is cooked. Fluff the rice then pour in the lemon juice and add half of the sliced green onions leaving the rest as garnish. Stir to combine.
- Allow rice to cool down and chill it thoroughly at least 4 hours or overnight even. Combine the mayonnaise and milk and blend well. Stir into the rice mixture with the apples, raisins and almonds. Season with a little salt, to taste. Garnish with the remaining sliced green onions.
Last updated on May 1st, 2024 at 10:01 pm
Abby this curried rice salad looks delicious. One always needs an easy to make, attractive side dish to take to potlucks or a cookout when invited. Thanks for sharing this one.
Thanks, Patty! I am glad you like it. Hope you enjoy it, too. Thanks for keeping in touch.
What a wonderful flavor this has for fall, I love the bits of apples that give this its crunch and the rice is just perfectly seasoned.
I now have a new recipe to pack in lunches. These flavors sound wonderful together.
This recipe was completely outside the box for me, but I’m so glad I gave it a try. It was delicious!
This rice was a hit for us! The apples make it so perfect for fall, and I love how the sweetness from the fruit paired with the curry spice.
I love salads that incorporate grains as they keep me filled up for a while. Love this recipe for sweet and a savory flavor combined together.
This is such a yummy rice salad. I love how the curry flavors come together and it tasted so good. Everyone asked for seconds!
This salad sounds amazing. I never would think to pair curried rice with dried fruits and apples. I have to give your recipe a try. It’s a perfect lunch idea.
I like the salad so much. I wonder if I substitute raisins to cranberries will it still taste good?
That should work too providing that sweetness that complements the other ingredients.
I’m always looking for tasty and easy salad recipes for our church BBQs. I just tried this rice salad tonight and got the thumbs up from my husband (and me). I fried off half a diced onion with the curry as well, before adding the rice and frying that to cover all the grains with the curry before adding the stock. So tasty. It has definitely been added to my list of go-to recipes. Thank you Abigail.
So glad you enjoyed this! Yay! Thanks for letting us know.
Add cubed chicken to this and you have a one dish meal!
What sought of mayonnaise do you use and is it half a cup of mayonnaise?
Just regular mayonnaise should do, that’s what I use. It’s half a cup plus 2 tablespoons – but you can adjust this amount to taste. Thanks and enjoy.
Making it tonight
Hope you like it. Thank you!
This rice salad is fantastic! I just made it and it is delicious with its subtle infusion of flavors. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Yay! That’s great to know! Thank you for giving us a feedback.