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This cold Rice Salad with Corn, Bacon, and Pimentos is the perfect summertime dish! Tossed in a creamy buttermilk dressing, the salad is full of fresh herbs, smoky bacon, sweet corn, and fluffy, nutty rice. It’s a great side to pair with all of your grilled favorites or a light main dish for quick lunches and dinners.
Table of Contents
- The Best Summer Rice Salad Recipe
- Ingredients for Cold Rice Salad
- How to Make a Summer Rice Salad with Corn
- What to Serve with Corn and Rice Salad
- Corn and Rice Salad Prep and Storage Tips
- Rice Salad Recipe Variations and Cook’s Tips
- More Easy Summer Salad Recipes:
- Rice Salad with Corn, Bacon and Pimentos Recipe
This easy basmati rice salad recipe is an old favorite that I originally shared on the blog many years ago. When a reader recently came looking for it, we both realized that the previous post had somehow disappeared! That was my reminder to serve the dish again, to shoot some updated photos, and to re-publish the recipe for all of you to enjoy.
The Best Summer Rice Salad Recipe
Everything about this dish just screams “summer!” From the crisp, sweet corn to the fresh herbs and cool, creamy dressing, it’s a light and refreshing salad that you’ll enjoy all season long.
Rice salad is a salad dish prepared with one or more types of rice, almost always chilled and most often tossed in vinegar, oil, or mayonnaise-based dressing. It is typically served as a side dish or as a main course. They’re a lot like cold pasta salads; however, rice is used in lieu of small pasta shapes. There are so many amazing rice salads for summer, including Mediterranean Rice Salad, Curry Rice Salad, Lemon Rice Salad, Italian Cold Rice Salad, and of course — my personal favorite — this Creamy Rice Salad with a Southern spin!
I like to use basmati rice, but any cooked rice will work (use up those leftovers)! You can also throw in other summer veggies, like cherry tomatoes, diced zucchini, or diced cucumber. You’ll love the convenient, prep-ahead recipe that comes together in just minutes!
Ingredients for Cold Rice Salad
You just can’t beat the sweet-and-savory combination of corn and bacon, especially when paired with the fresh herbs and light, creamy buttermilk-mayonnaise dressing. Stir it all together, and you’re done — so simple! Here are the simple ingredients I use to make a Southern-inspired creamy rice salad with corn.
- Cooked rice: I use long-grain basmati rice, but most types of rice will work.
- Mayonnaise: the base of the creamy dressing. I prefer Duke’s brand.
- Buttermilk: adds creaminess to the mayo dressing.
- Parmesan cheese: the perfect cheese for this creamy rice salad.
- Apple cider vinegar: adds tang to the dressing and helps to keep the vegetables crisp and colorful.
- Corn & green onions: fresh summer vegetables that don’t even have to be cooked, just tossed right into the rice salad!
- Diced pimentos: I use jarred pimentos, but you can use fresh pimentos peppers if you have them on hand.
- Bacon: crispy, salty, and savory — adds the perfect crunch.
- Basil & dill: fresh herbs are best, as they will infuse the rice and dressing with so much flavor.
How to Make a Summer Rice Salad with Corn
Below is an overview of the directions to make a cold rice salad with corn, pimentos, and bacon! This tasty rice salad recipe is so easy to toss together and requires no cooking. Prep ahead of time for the flavors to meld together, or toss it together in a flash for an easy side salad to pair with dinner.
- Whisk together the rice salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl — buttermilk, mayonnaise, Parmesan, and vinegar.
- Combine the rice salad ingredients in a large bowl — rice, corn, pimentos, ½ cup of green onions, bacon, basil and dill.
- Add the dressing to the salad and toss. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Garnish with green onions and fresh herbs if desired.
Which rice is best for a rice salad recipe?
I like long-grain white rice or basmati rice in this dish. You can also substitute with brown rice, which has a nice nutty flavor and sturdy texture, or wild rice. This dish is a great way to use up leftover cooked rice from a previous meal. For a shortcut, you can use a microwaveable packet of rice (such as Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice) — and have one less pot to clean at the end, too!
What other vegetables can I add to corn and rice salad?
The sky is really the limit when it comes to which vegetables to add to a summer rice salad recipe. For this rice salad with corn, you can add any vegetables that pair well with corn. Try red onion, red bell pepper or yellow bell pepper, or jalapeno peppers if you like heat. You could easily go for Mexican street corn flavors by adding black beans or pinto beans, cotija cheese, and fresh lemon juice or lime juice in the creamy mayo-based dressing.
Do you serve corn and rice dressing warm or cold?
You can serve this rice salad recipe warm, cold, or at room temperature. I combine the rice, vegetables, and dressing when the rice has cooled down to room temperature, but you can mix the ingredients while the rice is still warm (it will absorb the dressing quicker when warm). Serve this easy rice salad recipe immediately, or refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy!
How many ears of corn do you need for 2 cups of corn?
A medium-sized ear of corn will yield about 1/2 cup of corn kernels, so you will need about 4 fresh ears of corn for this rice and corn salad. If using frozen corn, you simply need to measure two cups of frozen corn kernels (but let them thaw before mixing into the salad).
What to Serve with Corn and Rice Salad
If offering the salad as a main course, try pairing it with a crisp green salad and some crusty bread or dinner rolls. It would also be delicious alongside fried green tomatoes! Add some protein to the meal with a side of Shrimp Cocktail, Crab Dip, or Pimento Cheese and crackers.
The salad is also a great summer side dish. Here are a few dinners that go well with the salad:
- Grilled Chicken
- Crock Pot Ribs
- Grilled Pork Chops
- Virginia Crab Imperial or Crab Cakes
- Zucchini Pie
- Grilled Steak
- Oven-Fried Breaded Pork Chops
- Fried Chicken
- Cornflake Chicken
- Pulled Pork or Pulled BBQ Chicken
- Lemonade Chicken
- Perfect 15-Minute Grilled Salmon
- Grilled Scallops
- Mississippi Roasted Pork Shoulder
- Sweet Heat Southern Glazed Salmon
- Southern Fried Catfish
- Oven BBQ Chicken Breast
- Marinated Italian Chicken
Corn and Rice Salad Prep and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: The salad can be made the day before you plan to serve it. The corn and the rice soak up the dressing and become more tender, bringing all of the flavors together.
- How to Store Leftovers: Rice salad will last in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. It’s best when enjoyed within 24 hours of preparation, however.
- I do not recommend freezing rice salad, as the mayonnaise-based dressing will “break” and have an undesirable texture when thawed.
Rice Salad Recipe Variations and Cook’s Tips
- If using fresh corn, there’s no need to cook the corn first. Just cut it off of the cob and stir it into the salad. The corn will absorb the dressing as it sits and soften up slightly, but it will still maintain a nice, crisp texture.
- If using frozen corn kernels, thaw the corn and drain off any excess liquid before stirring it into the salad.
- I love the fresh basil and dill in this dish, but you can substitute them with any of your favorite herbs. Try thyme, parsley, or rosemary!
- What to put in rice salad: Feel free to get creative and mix in any of your other favorite summer vegetables. Try finely diced sweet bell pepper (instead of the jarred pimentos), diced cucumber, diced zucchini or squash, or halved cherry tomatoes.
More Easy Summer Salad Recipes:
Rice Salad with Corn, Bacon and Pimentos
Ingredients
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups cooked rice, at room temperature
- 2 cups fresh corn off the cob or thawed frozen whole kernel corn
- 8 ounces diced pimentos, drained
- ¾ cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
- 3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, or more to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, Parmesan cheese, and vinegar until combined.¼ cup buttermilk, ¼ cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- In a large bowl, toss together rice, corn, pimentos, ½ cup of the green onions, bacon, basil and dill. Stir in the dressing and toss to coat. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper or fresh herbs. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of green onions. Serve cold or at room temperature.2 cups cooked rice, at room temperature, 2 cups fresh corn off the cob or thawed frozen whole kernel corn, 8 ounces diced pimentos, drained, ¾ cup thinly sliced green onions, divided, 3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or more to taste, 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, or more to taste, Salt and pepper, to taste
Notes
- If using fresh corn, there’s no need to cook the corn first. Just cut it off of the cob and stir it into the salad. The corn will absorb the dressing as it sits and soften up slightly, but it will still maintain a nice, crisp texture.
- If using frozen corn kernels, thaw the corn and drain off any excess liquid before stirring it into the salad.
- I love the fresh basil and dill in this dish, but you can substitute with any of your favorite herbs. Try thyme, parsley or rosemary!
- What to put in rice salad: Feel free to get creative and mix-in any of your other favorite summer vegetables. Try finely-diced sweet bell pepper (instead of the jarred pimentos), diced cucumber, diced zucchini or squash, or halved cherry tomatoes.
