Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries & Pecans

wild rice salad served in a large glass bowl with wooden spoon.

Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries & Pecans

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Wile Rice Salad

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 10

Servings:

Calories: 357kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

This Wild Rice Salad features crisp apples, crunchy pecans, and sweet cranberries tossed in a delicious orange vinaigrette. Serve it with your favorite protein or as a make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving!

Print Recipe Add to Collection

US Customary - Metric

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 information is for roughly 1 cup of salad, assuming you get 6 cups from this recipe. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare the rice and vinaigrette up to 3 days in advance to make serving it easier, but don't add the nuts, chopped apple, or fresh parsley until shortly before serving for the freshest flavor and texture.

Nutrition