Crispy Rice, Asparagus & Snap Pea Salad with Miso-Ginger Dressing

A perfect warm-weather dinner: crunchy, fresh, deeply flavorful, and so satisfying. This salad is all about textures—crispy rice, crunchy snap peas, cool cucumber—and a bright, umami-packed dressing to pull it all together. Minimal cooking, maximum payoff.

Ingredients

For the Crispy Rice

• 1½ cups cooked rice (day-old is best)

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil

• 3 green onions, sliced (add during last 5 minutes of baking)

For the Salad

• 1 bunch asparagus, sliced diagonally into bite-sized pieces

• ¼ pound snap peas, trimmed

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced and slightly smashed

• ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

• Toasted sesame seeds, for topping

• Chili crisp, optional (but highly encouraged!)

For the Dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons mirin (rice wine)

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 small knob fresh ginger, grated

• 1 tablespoon white miso paste

• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
   In a bowl, mix the cooked rice with soy sauce, sesame oil, and avocado/olive oil. Spread the rice out evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

2. Bake the rice for 25–30 minutes, stirring once or twice for even crisping. In the last 5 minutes, scatter sliced green onions over the rice, turn off the heat, to soften and roast slightly.

3. Par-boil the asparagus:
   Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water or the freezer to cool quickly and stop cooking.

4. Chop and prep:
   While the rice and asparagus are cooking/cooling, slice the cucumber, snap peas, and chop the cilantro.

5. Make the dressing:
   In a small bowl or jar, whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth and emulsified.

6. Assemble the salad:
   In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, snap peas, asparagus, and cilantro. Toss with the dressing. (start with only 1/2 of the dressing, add more if desired. Save any remainder for another salad or dip.)

7. Finish and serve:
   Once the rice has cooled slightly, pile it on top of the dressed veggies. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, extra cilantro, and a spoonful of chili crisp if desired.

Tips & Variations

• Make it a meal by adding a protein of choice! Grilled tofu, shredded chicken, sliced steak or a jammy egg on top.

• Want more crunch? Add crushed roasted peanuts or cashews.

• Leftovers are fantastic—just keep the crispy rice separate until serving.