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Wild Rice Salad

Wild Rice Salad
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This wild rice salad recipe is simple and bursting with flavor, with crunchy veggies, pecans, cranberries, a zingy dressing, and feta cheese!

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend (mix of brown and wild**)
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles (optional; omit for vegan)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer under cold water. Add the rice to a saucepan with 1 3/4 cup water and if desired, 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter (optional). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed (see notes* and **). Cover and allow to stand and steam for 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Then pour the rice onto a sheet pan in a single layer and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes until the rice is room temperature. (Or, you can make the rice ahead and refrigerate until serving, up to 2 days.)
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the celery, green onion, and parsley as noted in the instructions above.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
  4. When the rice is cooked and cooled, mix it in a large bowl with the chopped vegetables, dressing, feta cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. If desired, add a few feta crumbles and pecans to the top for serving.
  5. The salad tastes best fresh, but stores up to 3 days refrigerated. For make ahead, cook the rice and mix the dressing in advance and refrigerate. Add all salad ingredients together before serving.

Notes

*You can use any package marked “wild rice blend” that contains a mix of wild rice with other types of rice, including brown, red and black. Cooking instructions may vary depending on the brand, so use the timing and liquid specified on the package if it differs from this recipe.

**If all you have is pure wild rice, you can use that too. Use 2 1/2 cups water instead of 1 3/4. Simmer 45 to 50 minutes, until the rice is split and tender. (Most of the grains will split, but not all: see the photo.) If not, continue to cook until most grains are split, adding more water if necessary. When the rice is cooked, drain excess liquid.