Forbidden Rice Salad

Forbidden Rice Salad is a vibrant, modern salad built around deep purple-black forbidden rice, often tossed with crisp vegetables like edamame, bell peppers, and scallions, and dressed in a tangy, savory vinaigrette. It's a popular dish in contemporary Asian fusion cuisine, drawing inspiration from Chinese culinary traditions where this rice was once reserved for royalty.

🍳 View the full Forbidden Rice Salad recipe →

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

This salad is a balanced, plant-based meal, providing complex carbohydrates from the rice, a good amount of plant protein from ingredients like edamame, and healthy fats from the dressing and any added nuts or seeds. A typical serving offers a good source of fiber, iron, and antioxidants, with a rough calorie range of 350-500 per serving depending on the specific ingredients and portion size.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	350 kcal
Protein	8 g
Carbs	60 g
Fat	10 g
Fiber	6 g
Sugar	5 g
Sodium	300 mg
Iron	3.5 mg
Magnesium	120 mg
Phosphorus	250 mg
Manganese	2.0 mg
Zinc	2.0 mg
Copper	0.5 mg
Thiamin (B1)	0.2 mg
Niacin (B3)	3.0 mg

Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

The 'forbidden' rice gets its dramatic color from anthocyanins, the same powerful antioxidants found in blueberries and red cabbage, which are linked to various health benefits. Historically, this glutinous black rice was so prized in ancient China that it was forbidden for anyone but the emperor to eat, giving it its regal name.