Italian Rice Salad (Insalata di Riso) You’ll Make All Summer

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Italian Rice Salad is colorful, hearty, and incredibly easy to make. Tender al dente rice is tossed with tuna, mild cheese, ham, hard-boiled eggs, sweet peas, bell pepper, olives, and shallot, then finished with a simple Dijon and red wine vinegar dressing.

It’s the kind of make-ahead recipe that works beautifully for summer lunches, picnics, family gatherings, or an easy dinner when you want something filling without turning on the oven.

With about 30 grams of protein per serving, it’s substantial enough to be a real meal rather than a side dish — and the hands-on work takes only about 20 minutes.

Every bite has a little something different — savory tuna and ham, sweet peas, salty olives, creamy egg, mild cheese, and fresh crunchy vegetables. And because it keeps well in the refrigerator, it’s also perfect for meal prep.

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Perfect For

• Easy summer lunches
• Family dinners
• Meal prep
• Picnics
• Potlucks
• BBQs and cookouts
• Make-ahead lunches
• Office lunches
• Summer entertaining
• A quick meal from pantry and refrigerator staples

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Ingredients

Rice

1 cup Carnaroli or Arborio rice (200 g)— These Italian rice varieties work especially well because they stay pleasantly tender while holding their shape. Cook the rice until al dente so it doesn’t become mushy.

Tuna

6 oz canned tuna in water, drained (170 g)— That’s about 1½ standard 5 oz cans. Tuna adds savory flavor and makes this rice salad much more satisfying.

Ham

3.5 oz ham, cubed (100 g)— Mild cooked ham adds savory flavor and gives the salad extra texture.

Cheese

3.5 oz mild Provolone or Fontina cheese, cubed (100 g)— Both cheeses work beautifully here. You can use mild Cheddar for a milder taste.

Eggs

2 large hard-boiled eggs— Cut them into small cubes for creamy little bites throughout the salad.

Green Peas

¾ cup frozen peas (100 g)— A quick boil followed by an ice bath keeps frozen peas bright green while giving them a fresh, sweet flavor.

Bell Pepper

½ fresh bell pepper, diced (about 2 oz / 60 g)— Red, yellow, or orange bell pepper adds freshness, crunch, and color.

Shallot

1 shallot, finely diced— Adds a mild onion flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.

Olives

⅓ cup sliced olives (45 g)— Little bursts of salty Mediterranean flavor.

Dressing

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45 ml)— Use a good-quality olive oil, because it forms the base of the dressing.

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (5 g)— Adds a subtle sharpness and helps bring the dressing together.

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (15 ml)— Adds acidity and balances the richness of the tuna, cheese, eggs, and ham.

Seasoning

Kosher salt, to taste.

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

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How to Make Italian Rice Salad

1. Cook and Rinse the Rice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the rice and cook until al dente, following the package directions.

Drain the rice, then rinse it under cold running water for about 30 seconds, stirring gently with your hand. This stops the cooking and washes away the surface starch that makes Arborio and Carnaroli sticky.

Drain thoroughly and spread the rice out in a large bowl or shallow dish. Because it has already been cooled by the rinse, it only needs a few minutes to come down to room temperature and dry slightly.

2. Prep the Ingredients While the Rice Cooks

While the rice is cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients.

Dice the ham, bell pepper, cheese, and shallot into small, bite-sized pieces.

Peel and dice the hard-boiled eggs, and slice the olives.

Drain the tuna well.

3. Cook and Chill the Peas

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the frozen peas and cook for just 2–3 minutes, until bright green and heated through.

Drain and transfer them straight into a bowl of ice water. Once they’re cold — about a minute — drain them again and pat dry. The ice bath is what locks in the color; peas left to cool in a colander keep cooking in their own heat and turn dull.

4. Combine the Salad

Add the cooled rice to a large bowl, along with the tuna, ham, cheese, eggs, peas, bell pepper, shallot, and olives.

5. Make the Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Whisk until well combined and slightly emulsified.

6. Dress the Salad

Pour the dressing over the rice mixture.

Gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

7. Chill and Serve

Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors come together.

Give it a gentle toss, then finish with a little more olive oil or some fresh basil, if desired.

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Optional Toppings

You can finish your Italian Rice Salad with:

• Fresh basil
• Fresh parsley
• Extra sliced olives
• A drizzle of olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon zest

For this version, I especially like fresh basil for a little extra freshness and color.

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Expert Tips

Don’t Overcook the Rice
This is the most important step. The rice should be tender but still slightly firm so the grains remain separate in the salad.

Rinse After Cooking, Not Before
Arborio and Carnaroli are the starchiest rice varieties on the shelf — that’s exactly why risotto works. In a cold salad, that same starch glues the grains together. A quick cold rinse after draining solves it and cools the rice at the same time.

Use the Cooking Time Wisely
You don’t need to wait around. Use the 15 minutes the rice is on the stove to chop the ham, vegetables, cheese, and eggs, and to drain the tuna.

Keep the Peas Bright Green
Boil for 2–3 minutes, then straight into ice water. Draining alone isn’t enough.

Cut Everything Into Similar Sizes
Small, bite-sized pieces make it easier to get a little of every ingredient in each forkful.

Use Mild Cheese
Mild Provolone or Fontina works especially well because it adds flavor without overpowering the tuna and vegetables.

Let It Rest
This salad gets even better after a little time in the refrigerator. The rice absorbs the dressing and the flavors have time to come together.

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Variations

Make It Vegetarian
Skip the tuna and ham and add more vegetables, chickpeas, or white beans.

Add More Vegetables
Try adding corn, green beans, carrots, cucumber, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, or cherry tomatoes.

Make It More Mediterranean
Add capers, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and extra olives.

Swap the Cheese
Use mild Cheddar, Fontina, Provolone, mozzarella, or another mild semi-firm cheese.

Add More Protein
Increase the tuna or add another hard-boiled egg for an even more filling lunch.

Lower the Sodium
Ham, olives, and Provolone are all salty. Rinse the olives, choose a low-sodium ham, and go easy on the added salt if you’re watching your intake.

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What to Serve With Italian Rice Salad

This rice salad can easily stand on its own as a complete lunch, but it also works beautifully as part of a larger Italian-style meal.

Serve it with grilled chicken, grilled fish, grilled vegetables, fresh tomato salad, Caprese salad, crusty bread, pan con tomate, antipasti, marinated vegetables, or fresh fruit.

It also pairs beautifully with our Mediterranean Tomato and Feta Salad for an easy summer spread.

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Storage

Italian Rice Salad is an excellent make-ahead recipe.

Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors will continue to develop as it rests.

Before serving, give it a gentle toss and add a small drizzle of olive oil if the rice has absorbed too much of the dressing.

Because this salad contains tuna, ham, cheese, and eggs, don’t leave it out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours — or more than 1 hour if it’s above 90°F (32°C) per USDA food safety guidelines. At a picnic or cookout, keep the bowl on ice or nested in a larger bowl of ice water.

Freezing is not recommended: the rice turns grainy and the vegetables lose their crunch.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Italian Rice Salad ahead of time?

Yes! This is actually one of the best things about it. Prepare it several hours ahead or the day before and refrigerate until ready to serve.

What type of rice is best?

Carnaroli or Arborio rice works particularly well. Other medium-grain white rice can also be used, as long as you cook it until al dente.

Can I use brown rice?

Yes. Brown rice will give the salad a nuttier flavor and more fiber, although the texture will be different from the traditional version.

Should I rinse the rice?

Not before cooking — leave it as it is and cook it in plenty of salted water. Do rinse it under cold water after draining, though. That’s what keeps the grains separate in a cold salad.

Can I use fresh peas?

Absolutely. Fresh peas work beautifully when they’re in season. Boil them for 3–4 minutes, then use the same ice bath.

Do I need to boil the eggs myself?

You can use store-bought hard-boiled eggs to save time. If you’re starting from raw, allow about 12 minutes to cook them plus time to cool — boil them while the rice cooks and they’ll be ready when you need them.

What cheese can I use instead of Provolone or Fontina?

Mild Cheddar is an easy substitute. Mozzarella also works well if you prefer a softer, milder cheese.

Can I leave out the ham?

Yes. You can replace it with extra vegetables, more tuna, or chickpeas.

How long does Italian Rice Salad last?

Stored properly in the refrigerator, it will keep for up to 3 days.

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Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)

Based on 4 servings, calculated from USDA reference values for the ingredients as listed.

• Calories: approximately 528 kcal
• Protein: approximately 30 g
• Carbohydrates: approximately 47 g
• Fat: approximately 23 g
• Saturated Fat: approximately 7 g
• Fiber: approximately 3 g
• Sugar: approximately 3 g
• Sodium: approximately 985 mg
• Cholesterol: approximately 137 mg
• Potassium: approximately 414 mg

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary depending on the tuna, ham, cheese, and olives you use. Sodium in particular varies significantly between brands — deli ham alone can range from 700 to 1,400 mg per 100 g.

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Good to Know

Insalata di Riso is one of those wonderfully practical Italian recipes that feels made for summer.

It’s colorful, filling, easy to prepare ahead, and perfect for sharing. There’s no need to make every ingredient complicated — the magic comes from combining simple flavors and textures in one bowl.

The keys are cooking the rice al dente and rinsing it cold. That keeps the grains separate and gives the finished dish the right texture.

It’s also incredibly flexible. Italian rice salads are perfect for adapting to whatever you have in the refrigerator, so don’t be afraid to make it your own.

Make it ahead, chill it, take it to a picnic, or keep it in the fridge for an easy lunch throughout the week.

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