This fruit and nut salad with rice combines sweet fruit, crunchy nuts and pantry staples. It's a hearty summer salad with lots of flavors, crunch and perfect as a side dish for BBQs and picnics!
Summer salads with fruits and nuts are some of my family's favorites, as they have such a good combo of flavors. Similarly to my kale wild rice salad, this recipe makes the most of seasonal produce!
I'm hoping this fruit and nut salad will work for many as it's dairy free, gluten free and uses lower histamine ingredients too. For those who want it heartier, you can always add some fresh cheese in too.
For more summer salads have a peek at my couscous tabbouleh, cucumber and beetroot salad and my quinoa and fennel salad. All so tasty and easy to put together!
This recipe was updated April 29, 2026 with slight amendments to the recipe, updated photos and tips.
Jump to:
🍚 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Rice - I like to use a wild rice mix, as it gives a nutty taste and some variety, but you can use all white or brown rice if you prefer. Whatever you have to hand!
- Apple - for a lovely sweetness, and perfect for summer and fall!
- Pomegranate seeds - alongside the apple, these give the fruit and nut salad a pop of sweetness.
- Pistachio nuts - make sure to use unsalted, and I would suggest ones that aren't roasted if you are low histamine.
- Pumpkin seeds - these always give a good crunch. The Terrasoul organic pumpkin seeds are good.
- Olive oil - I suggest using an extra virgin olive for its better taste and quality for the dressing. I use Filipo Berio extra virgin olive oil.
📖 Swaps and Variations
Add some cheese. To make it more of a summer lunch, I like to add some fresh cheese such as mozzarella balls. Feta can also be added for it's salty taste, but this likely isn't suitable for low histamine readers.
Use all seeds. If nuts aren't for you, you can always use extra pumpkin seeds instead.
🔪 How to Make a Salad with Fruit and Nuts
There are just a few steps to make this salad recipe, with a little cooking of the rice and toasting the nuts and seeds. No fancy kitchen equipment needed!
All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Make the dressing
Whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt and black pepper (if using) (image 1).
Step 2: Toast the nuts and seeds
Tip the pistachios, macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds into a dry skillet (so without any oil) and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring a couple of times (image 2).
Step 3: Cook the rice
Cook the rice to package instructions and set aside to cool (image 3).
Step 4: Combine the salad
Combine the diced fruits, nuts, seeds, lettuce, rice and parsley. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine (image 4).
💭 Recipe Tips and Notes
- Leave the rice to cool before combining with the other ingredients.
- Aside from parsley, cilantro works nicely in this salad.
- Make sure the pistachios aren't salted - that definitely wouldn't taste nice!
🍽 How to Serve
This salad makes a light plant-based lunch on its own, but can also be served with fresh mozzarella or chicken dishes such as my rosemary pan fried chicken and my air fryer mozzarella chicken.
In smaller portions it's also a lovely side dish, or served with other plates it is perfect for BBQ and as picnic food.
🥗 More Salad Ideas
Lots more options for your summer lunches or picnics! Choose from ideas such as my tasty panzanella, sweet potato beetroot salad or my quinoa arugula salad. Some recent recipes to enjoy:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a star rating if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Fruit and Nut Salad with Rice
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup rice white, brown or wild rice mix
- ¼ cup pistachios not roasted, unsalted, shelled, crushed
- ¼ cup macadamia nuts halves or crushed
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 apple de-cored, diced, red or green
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 cups romaine lettuce diced
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley diced
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar optional
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove optional, minced or finely diced
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- Cook the rice to package instructions and set aside to cool.
- Add the pistachios, macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds to a dry skillet and toast for 3-4 minutes to bring out their flavor. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing by combining the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, optional garlic, salt and optional black pepper and whisking together.
- Dice the apple, romaine lettuce and parsley.
- Combine the fruits, nuts, rice, lettuce and parsley in your serving bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. Season to taste preference.
Notes
- Leave the rice to cool before combining with the other ingredients.
- Aside from parsley, cilantro works nicely in this salad.
- Make sure the pistachios and macadamia nuts aren't salted or roasted.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- garlic and apple cider vinegar, which score 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
Mo says
So good. My 13 year old even had seconds!
Claire says
So glad everyone liked it!