Wild Rice Salad – served warm or cold

Wild Rice Salad – served warm or cold

This wild rice salad with carrots, toasted pecans, crunchy pepitas and sweet cranberries can be ready in 20 minutes and it’s delicious anytime of the year.

 

Bowl of wild rice salad on wooden surface

 

Wild rice is nutty and hearty and is delicious on any kind of salad greens.

Did I mention it’s high in protein and a great way to get your daily vitamins.

This wild rice salad with carrots, dried fruit, seeds and nuts is an ideal side dish or summer salad for any barbecue or potluck.

It also makes a welcome addition to any holiday table.

If you’re trying to eat healthier this salad is a great choice and keeps well in the fridge for several days.

It can be served cold, at room temperature or slightly warm.

 

Pot of rice, dried cranberries and pepitas on wooden surface

 

How to make wild rice salad:

To make this healthy side dish, you’ll need a large bowl.

  • Add the cooked and cooled wild rice. Make the rice ahead of time for easy prep. There are also 5- minute variety rice blends available to help cut prep time.
  • Mix in the carrots. My grocer sells precut matchstick carrots that are the perfect size for the salad. Grab a pack.
  • Add cranberries, pecans and pepitas. Check the grocery produce section for blended bags of seeds, nuts and dried fruits to reduce prep time.
  • Make the dressing. This salad dressing consists of four simple ingredients – apple cider vinegar, a shallot, honey and olive oil.
  • Mix well and serve. Drizzle the dressing over the rice mixture and served over a bed of your choice of greens.

 

Dressing being poured on salad

 

Variations to this wild rice salad:

 

  • Veggies: While matchstick carrots make for easy prep, other veggies including cubes of roasted sweet potato, corn or sweet bell peppers work just as well.
  • Dried fruit: raisins, dates or dried cherries would all be delicious in place of cranberries.
  • Nuts and seeds: sunflower seeds, almonds or pistachios would be delicious on the salad.
  • Greens: Spicy arugula, tender spinach or crunchy kale are all great power green options.

 

Large bowl of rice mixture next to smaller salad rice bowl

 

More healthy side dishes you will love

 

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Bowl of wild rice salad on wooden surface

Wild Rice Salad

Ali Randall
This wild rice salad with carrots, toasted pecans, crunchy pepitas
and sweet cranberries can be ready in 20 minutes and it’s delicious
anytime of the year.
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups wild rice or wild rice blend, cooked and cooled
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans
  • 1/2 cup toasted pepitas
  • 3 cups mixed greens, kale, arugula or spinach

For the dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • Salt and fresh cracked pepper

Instructions
 

  • To make the dressing combine the shallot, honey, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well. 
  • In a large bowl combine the rice, carrots, pecans, cranberries and pepitas. 
  • Drizzle the dressing over the rice mixture mixing to combine. Serve the rice mixture over the greens. 
Keyword Wild Rice Salad

 

Wild Rice Salad Recipe

 

If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #homeandplate. I’d love to see what you cook!



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