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If you’re looking to make a salad that won’t wilt, you’re going to love this wild rice salad. It’s tossed with a fresh orange dressing and studded with crunchy pecans and chewy dried cranberries. Every bite tastes a little different, so you won’t get bored!
This recipe comes from my friend Jenn’s book, Once Upon a Chef, the Cookbook. It’s the perfect salad to bring to Thanksgiving dinner and lends itself well to leftovers. It’s basically a complete meal when you top it with leftover turkey!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Made this salad for Christmas dinner, it was a hit with everyone. Loved it!” – Mary Ellen
Wild Rice Salad Ingredients
- Wild Rice. This is naturally gluten-free and has more protein per serving than brown rice. It takes slightly longer to cook than other varieties, but you can cook it ahead to save time on a big holiday meal.
- Apple. This adds a pop of sweetness and crunch. Use any variety you have on hand.
- Celery + Green Onion. These add another layer of flavor and texture.
- Dried Cranberries. Dried fruit adds a chewy texture and a burst of sweet and tart flavors throughout the salad.
- Nuts & Seeds. This salad calls for a combination of pecans and salted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), but when I can’t find those in the store, I use salted pistachios instead. Either way works!
- Orange Dressing. This is made with fresh orange (including the zest and juice), olive oil, red wine vinegar, and mustard.
- Parsley. Freshly chopped herbs elevate the flavor, but if you don’t have parsley on hand, cilantro will work, too.
How to Make Wild Rice Salad
Step 1:
To cook the wild rice, first rinse it well under running water in a fine-mesh strainer. (This will improve the texture.) Transfer the rinsed rice to a medium saucepan, add 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and cover it with 4 cups of water.
Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and cover the pot. Let the rice gently simmer for 50 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it sit with the lid on for an additional 10 minutes.
The cooked rice should split open when it’s done, and there will most likely be excess water in the pot. Drain the rice in a fine mesh strainer to remove the excess water and set it aside to cool.
Step 2:
While the rice is cooking, combine the orange juice, orange zest, Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
Whisk well to combine the vinaigrette.
Step 3:
Add in the diced celery, apple, pecans, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, parsley, and green onions. Toss well to coat everything in the dressing.
When the rice has cooled, stir it in and adjust any seasoning to taste.
Serving and Storage Tips
Let the salad marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavors will get even better as they meld together.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries & Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice , rinsed
- 4 cups water
- 1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt (divided)
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice , from one orange
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup toasted pecans , roughly chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 celery ribs , diced
- 1 apple , peeled, cored, and diced
- ¼ cup roasted and salted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- 2 green onions , light and green parts, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 4 cups of water. Bring the liquid to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat but keep the lid on for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the lid and make sure the rice is tender, with most of the grains split open. Transfer the rice to a fine-mesh strainer to drain any excess water. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the cooled rice, pecans, dried cranberries, parsley, celery, apple, pepitas, and scallions. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
- Easy Butternut Squash Soup
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Thanksgiving Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
If you try this Wild Rice Salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
Someone linked to this recipe in the Washington Post in Wednesday’s Food Chat. It is delicious! I didn’t have dried cranberries, so I used dried mango, and I didn’t have fresh parsley and used dry. I left out the apple on purpose. It was still wonderful. I will make this again.