Sky-High Rice Salad

This rice salad is a throwback to the era of potluck suppers and church picnics, and it deserves a comeback. Cold cooked rice gets tossed with corn kernels, sliced celery, green pepper, stuffed olives, dill pickles, and minced onion for a salad with crunch and flavor in every forkful.

The dressing is where things get interesting. Curry powder and chutney stirred into French dressing creates a sweet-tangy-spiced coating that ties all those random-sounding ingredients together. The chutney adds fruity sweetness, the curry adds warmth, and the French dressing brings the vinegary backbone.

Mound the whole thing high on a bed of crisp salad greens and top with sliced hard-boiled eggs for a presentation that earns the “sky-high” name. This is a make-ahead dream since chilling only improves the flavors.

Pro Tips

• Use day-old rice that’s been refrigerated. Freshly cooked rice is too warm and sticky, and it’ll turn the salad mushy.
• Chop all the vegetables to roughly the same small size so every bite has an even mix of flavors and textures.
• Mix the curry and chutney into the French dressing before adding it to the salad. Pre-mixing ensures even distribution rather than clumps of curry in random spots.
• Chill for at least an hour before serving. The rice absorbs the dressing and the flavors sharpen considerably.

Variations

• Add protein: Toss in diced cooked chicken or shrimp to turn this side dish into a full meal.
• Tropical twist: Replace the dill pickles with diced mango and use mango chutney in the dressing.
• Spicier kick: Increase the curry powder to ½ teaspoon and add a pinch of cayenne to the dressing.