Avocado lime rice

This chilled avocado and lime rice dish is wonderfully light, refreshing and tasty! The ingredients are simple yet nutritious, and they make for a perfectly balanced meal on hot summer days when the mercury rises. It’s super easy to make and great for lunchtimes, especially if you’re looking for healthy carbs before a workout or training. This delicious avocado lime rice is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

About this recipe

I came up with the idea for this avocado and rice salad during a heatwave here. I was craving something cool and refreshing yet filling and nutritious. Italian lemon risotto came to mind. But because it’s a hot rice dish, it’s not something you would reach out for on a hot summer day. I love its wonderful lemony flavour, though, so I thought of making a cold rice dish with lemon. In the end, I opted for a simple combination of rice, avocado, lime and lemon juice, fresh herbs, and a hint of garlic.

This avocado rice salad with lime and lemon juice has a wonderful, creamy, risotto-like consistency. The creaminess is down to the type of rice used and the velvety, ripe avocado pieces. As you mix the pieces of ripe avocado in, some of them break up into the rice. The result is a creamy, summery rice dish that’s packed with nutrients. It’s filling yet incredibly light and refreshing.

It’s also kind of special because it marked the beginning of my blogging journey. Although I didn’t launch my blog until 1st November 2022, this was actually the very first recipe I wrote for Vegan Hot Stuff during the summer of the same year.

How to make avocado lime rice

Ingredients

You’ll find the exact quantities of each ingredient in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Rice

What type of rice is best for avocado lime rice? I use Italian Ribe rice for this recipe. White Ribe rice is a good choice because when cooked, it becomes slightly sticky, which is exactly what we’re looking for here. You could substitute Ribe with another type of rice that has similar characteristics. Look for a rice variety which is used for timbales and rice salads, and be careful not to overcook it. If you can’t get hold of Ribe rice, a good alternative could be Japanese sushi rice. If you opt for brown rice, the recipe will be just as tasty, if not more so, but it may not be quite as creamy. Brown rice is much healthier than white rice, though.

What is ribe rice?

Ribe rice is a cultivar bred from a cross of Italian, Japanese and American rice strains. In Italy, Ribe rice is grown primarily in the Po River basin, and it is one of the most versatile varieties. It has medium-sized, rounded grains with a crystalline and compact structure that maintains its firmness throughout cooking. This makes it ideal for liquid-based recipes, such as vegetable rice soups and broths, as well as for rice salads like this one. There are different types of Ribe rice. Without going into great detail, the most common ones are whole grain, white and parboiled. The cooking times for each type vary greatly, so it’s best to consult the manufacturer’s instructions and use them as a guideline.

Avocado

For this recipe, you’ll need a ripe avocado. Avocado provides creaminess, flavour, healthy fats, and important nutrients.

How can you tell if an avocado is ripe?

The skin should look taught and shiny. Hold the avocado in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze without applying your fingertips (to avoid bruising). A ripe avocado will yield slightly to pressure. If it feels very soft or, even worse, empty under the skin, it’s very overripe. If it feels very hard, it is underripe.

Try removing the pedicel – the little round bit on the top where the avocado was attached to the stem. If it won’t budge, it’s definitely underripe. When you can remove it, and it’s greenish-brown to brown underneath, it’s ripe. If it comes away really easily or wasn’t there in the first place, it’ll be brown where the pedicel was, which usually means it’s either fully ripe or overripe. After a couple of tries, you’ll be able to tell if an avocado is ripe or not.

Lime juice and lemon juice

This recipe calls for freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice. Lemon and lime juice keep the avocado green and prevent it from oxidising and turning brown. They also give this avocado rice its fresh, bright flavour and zesty tang.

Both lemon and lime juices are excellent sources of vitamin C, which boosts the immune system, helps in the production of collagen (important for skin, blood vessels, and bones), and aids in the absorption of iron from plant-based foods. The juices contain flavonoids and other antioxidants that help protect the body from free radicals, reducing oxidative stress and lowering the risk of chronic diseases. Among other health benefits, lemon and lime juices have an alkalizing effect on the body once metabolised, which can help balance pH levels and reduce acidity in the body.

Garlic (optional)

This recipe includes a subtle hint of garlic, achieved by infusing the marinade with thin slices of garlic, which are removed before serving.

Fresh herbs

I used fresh chives and parsley in the avocado rice in the photos. Green coriander leaf (cilantro) is also a great alternative.

Salt and pepper

The seasoning in this recipe is rounded off with unrefined sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

How to make avocado lime rice

Instructions

Make the marinade

• Squeeze the lemon and lime and put the juice into a bowl big enough to accommodate all the ingredients of the marinade and the avocado. Add the thinly sliced garlic, half the oil, a pinch of salt, and a little freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.
• Dice the avocado, add it to the marinade, and stir. Put the marinade in the fridge while you prepare the rice.

Cook the rice

• Weigh the rice. Calculate between 100 and 120 grams per person, depending on how hungry you are.
• Rinse the rice well, then boil it in salted water for the time stated on the packet. It’s best to check whether the rice is cooked to your liking a minute or two before to avoid overcooking it. Rice should be cooked through but still firm. If it’s still hard in the centre, cook it a bit longer.
• Once cooked, strain the rice in a colander and rinse it with cold water. Leave it to drain thoroughly for 5-10 minutes, and then transfer it to a bowl.

Finishing touches

• Add the avocado and the marinade to the rice, removing the slices of garlic as you go. Add the rest of the avocado oil, chives and parsley, and stir to combine. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.

How to garnish and serve avocado lime rice

Transfer the avocado lime rice to a serving bowl or individual plates and garnish with chives and parsley. You could also add a wedge of lime or lemon. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This avocado rice dish is perfect as a main course for lunch or dinner or as a side to accompany Mexican main courses. If you want to go Mexican, I recommend using green coriander (cilantro) leaf instead of chives and parsley.

How to keep avocado lime rice

Any leftover rice should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for a day at the most.

Can you freeze avocado lime rice?

No, avocado rice isn’t really suitable for freezing. When frozen and thawed, avocado tends to become mushy and discoloured. It loses its fresh, creamy texture, and freezing alters the flavour, too. Rice will lose its original texture, especially if mixed with ingredients like avocado and lime juice. The acidity from the lime juice may cause the other ingredients to deteriorate more quickly.

I’m sure you’ll love this light and refreshing vegan avocado lime rice recipe! If you try it, I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below, or take a quick pic and share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook @vegan_hot_stuff – I love seeing your re-creations!

Frequently asked questions

What dishes go well with avocado lime rice?

If you want to serve avocado lime rice as a side dish, here are some great ideas for dishes to serve with it:

• Grilled seitan and vegetable skewers – Skewers with seitan or marinated tofu with chunks of pepper, aubergine, courgette, mushrooms, and onions, cooked to perfection on the grill.
• Spicy vegan chili – A hearty chili made with vegan mince, red kidney beans, tomatoes, and spices, served alongside the rice.
• Roasted cauliflower – Cauliflower florets roasted with spices like cumin, paprika, and garlic powder for a savoury, slightly smoky flavour.
• Sweet potato or butternut squash – Roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash cubes with a touch of paprika or chili powder.
• Refried black bean stew (frijoles refritos) – Creamy Mexican-style black beans, which have been cooked, mashed, and then fried with onions, garlic, and spices.
• Sautéed tofu strips – Tofu strips sautéed with bell peppers and onions, seasoned with fajita spices, and served with the rice.

How to ripen avocados quickly

• To ripen avocados quickly, leave them in a warm room next to other fruits like apples, bananas, tomatoes, etc. To accelerate this process, put the avocados and the fruit together in a paper bag. The aforementioned fruits emit ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process. Fold the bag loosely and leave it at room temperature. The avocado should ripen in 1-3 days.
• Another method involves submerging the avocado in a bowl of uncooked rice. The rice traps ethylene gas around the avocado, similar to the paper bag method. This should ripen the avocado in 1-2 days.
• Other methods involve heat, like the oven or microwave. I do not recommend these tricks because they don’t actually ripen the avocado – they basically cook it, albeit partially, which changes the texture, flavour and colour.
• The simplest thing to do is just go out and buy another ripe avocado and leave the underripe one(s) to ripen naturally. You can always use them to make something else another day – like this delicious Mexican guacamole or vegan tunacado.

Does avocado go well with rice?

Yes, absolutely! They’re a match made in heaven, especially when paired with refreshing lemon and lime juice, a hint of garlic, and a sprinkling of chopped chives and parsley!

Is rice and avocado healthy?

Rice and avocado make a healthy combination, offering a balance of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fibre. Brown rice provides more nutrients and fibre than white rice, while avocados contribute healthy fats and essential vitamins. Together, they make a tasty, satisfying and nutritious meal.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for chilled avocado lime rice as much as we do! If you do, please leave a comment below. Your feedback is valuable to me, and it helps other readers too.  Thanks for showing your support!

If you’re looking for other healthy-carb recipes, you could try spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce or roasted vegetable couscous.

I hope you liked this recipe for avocado lime rice! If you did, it would be great if you could give it 5 stars and leave a comment below! It helps other readers to find my content and posts and ultimately makes my blog more successful! Thank you so much for your support! Deborah xx

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