Summer Seafood Rice Salads Recipe

Marinate seafood

In a medium bowl combine 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 2 tbs white wine, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Add the cooked shrimp, crab meat, and scallops (if using) and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour to let flavors meld. If using raw scallops, sear 1–2 minutes per side in a hot skillet with 1 tbs oil before adding to the marinade; if using raw shrimp, poach quickly in simmering salted water for 2–3 minutes until just opaque, then chill.

Cook rice

Rinse 1 cup rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups water (or broth), 0.5 tsp salt and 1 tbs olive oil to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes (or according to package for your rice). Remove from heat and let stand covered 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a wide shallow bowl to cool slightly (spread out to cool faster).

Cool rice

Allow rice to cool to near room temperature before combining with cold ingredients so it doesn’t wilt vegetables or warm the seafood. You can refrigerate uncovered 15–20 minutes or spread on a rimmed baking sheet to speed cooling.

While the rice cools, prepare vegetables: dice cucumber (remove seeds if very watery), halve cherry tomatoes, finely dice red bell pepper and red onion, chop parsley and tear basil. Place all vegetables and herbs in a large mixing bowl. If using avocado, wait to slice it until just before serving to avoid browning.

Make dressing

In a small jar or bowl whisk together 4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tbs white wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, 1 tbs chopped capers (if using) and 1 tsp whole-grain mustard (optional). Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon zest if desired.

Combine salad

Add the cooled rice to the bowl with vegetables and toss gently to combine. Pour half the dressing over the rice-veg mixture and toss. Add the marinated seafood (with any accumulated juices) and gently fold to combine, adding more dressing as needed — you want the salad moist but not soggy. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional lemon juice.

Chill briefly (optional): For best flavor, cover and chill the assembled salad 20–30 minutes to let flavors meld. If serving immediately, garnish and serve at once.

To serve, transfer salad to a platter or individual bowls. Top with sliced avocado if using, sprinkle toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds and microgreens or baby arugula. Add extra lemon wedges on the side. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 2 days (best the same day). Keep avocado separate and add just before serving to prevent browning.