Spring’s Hero Salad – Mushrooms with Crispy Rice Salad

As spring makes its welcome return, so does the craving for meals that are light yet satisfying – and our eye candy Mushroom Crispy Rice Salad delivers on all fronts. It’s the kind of dish that fills you up, not out – packed with fresh herbs, crunchy greens, golden crispy rice, and umami-rich mushrooms, all tied together with a punchy dressing. 

Perfect as a vibrant main or a standout side, this salad is a celebration of texture, health, and seasonal eating – ideal for spring menus, fun lunches or  a weekday dinner 

Ingredients:

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp hot water
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 2 tsp ginger, grated
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp rice vinegar

Crispy rice:

• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp gochujang*

Salad:

• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1 small Mediterranean cucumber, diced
• 1 head baby white cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 100g steamed broccoli, cooled and finely diced
• Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• Handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 250g white button mushrooms, sliced
• 100g fresh lettuce leaves
• 2 Tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Lime wedges, for serving

Method

Dressing

Whisk peanut butter with hot water, then add remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning and set aside.

Crispy Rice

Preheat oven to 200˚C. Mix rice with soy sauce, sesame oil, and gochujang until coated. Spread thinly on a lined tray, bake 10 minutes, flip, then bake another 10 minutes until crispy. Cool.

Salad

Mix salad ingredients (except lettuce and peanuts) in a bowl, season, then toss with crispy rice and dressing. Serve on a platter with lettuce leaves, scatter with peanuts, and add lime wedges.