Black Rice Salad with Avocado and Cherry Tomatoes

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-10 · Updated 2026-04-10

A refreshing cold salad featuring nutty black rice, creamy avocado, and juicy cherry tomatoes with a zesty lime dressing. This asian-inspired salads (gluten-free, vegan) ready in about 15 minutes pairs cooked and cooled black rice, large, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup, cooked and cooled black rice
• 1 large, diced avocado
• 1 cup, halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup, finely diced red onion
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 1 cup cooled cooked black rice, 1 diced avocado, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, and 1/4 cup diced red onion.
2. Step 2: Whisk together 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
3. Step 3: Pour dressing over rice salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. Chill for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.