Wild rice is a totally underrated recipe ingredient. You don’t find it commonly, but it’s so delicious, it really should be featured in more recipes! So I decided to play with adding more chewy, nutty, nutritious wild rice to our meal plan, and this Wild Rice Salad is one of my new favorite things. It’s a makeover of a wild rice salad recipe that I posted here back in 2016, and it’s now perfected and complete with step-by-step photos and lots of handy tips. Salads with wild rice have the most amazing blend of textures and flavors – everyone is going to love this recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this amazing salad:
Arugula (aka, Rocket) is a soft, peppery green that pairs perfectly with the sweet and savory flavors in this salad. If you aren’t a fan of arugula, you can substitute with a less bitter green like frisée, baby spinach, dandelion greens, or spring mix.Wild Rice – You may already know that wild rice isn’t really rice at all. It’s actually a different, distinct grain that is the same shape as rice. It’s a dark brown color, chewy when cooked, and has a nutty, toasted flavor.Pomegranate Seeds – These are technically called pomegranate arils and can sometimes be purchased already “harvested” from the fruit, or you can buy a whole pomegranate and do it yourself! I’ll add some tips for that process below for you. It’s fun but takes a few minutes. Apples – When using apples in a salad, be sure that the apple you choose has lots of flavor and isn’t too soft. Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp apples are perfect. Dried Cranberries, Sliced Red Onion, and Toasted Pecans.Feta Cheese – Crumbled salty feta is amazing on this salad! You can also try it with crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese if you like. Homemade Salad Dressing: Extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper come together in the most amazing way to dress this salad.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make This Amazing Salad with Wild Rice
Recipe Tips
Crumble your own feta cheese. Instead of buying cheese crumbles, buy a block of cheese and crumble it yourself just before adding it to the salad. It tastes so much better this way!Red Onions: I like the bite of freshly sliced red onion in this recipe, but if you’d like to make your onion a bit less intense, soak the slices in cold water for 5-10 minutes.To Remove Pomegranate Seeds: Cut the pomegranate in half horizontally. Then, hold one half, cut side down, in your palm, over a bowl. Whack the pomegranate (you need to hit it harder than you might think!) with a wooden spoon to get the seeds to pop out. Instead of Pecans, try toasted slivered almonds or walnuts. You can also use pepitas or sunflower seeds to make this recipe nut-free.Add Protein. Cooked shrimp, sliced chicken, or leftover seared steak would all be a wonderful addition to a wild rice salad.
Storing Tips
Enjoy this salad right away after adding the dressing. The greens will wilt if left for too much time. If you want to plan ahead, you can cook the rice up to 2 days ahead of time. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to build your salad.
What To Serve With Wild Rice Salad
This tasty salad makes a delicious side dish or first course for a fancy dinner party, a holiday meal, or a regular weeknight dinner. The flavors in wild rice salad will pair wonderfully with perfectly grilled steaks, a prime rib roast, a roast turkey tenderloin, or stuffed cornish hens. And while these proteins are perfect for entertaining, if you’re cooking for your family you might enjoy making something more simple. Try my Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks, Air Fryer Tilapia, or Hamburger Steak with Gravy. You can also serve wild rice salad as the main entrée! Add a side of dinner rolls or breadsticks for a satisfying light meal. This Wild Rice Salad is such a fantastic and sophisticated dish! Serve this for your next holiday or party, or surprise your family with a fancy side dish tonight. © Little Sunny Kitchen
