Wild Rice Harvest Salad (Printable)

Nutty wild rice pairs with cranberries, pecans, and herbs in a zesty autumn salad perfect for light meals.

# What you'll need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked wild rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Fruits & Nuts

04 - 2/3 cup dried cranberries
05 - 2/3 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
06 - 1 small apple, diced (optional)

→ Fresh Produce & Herbs

07 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

→ Vinaigrette

11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Rinse the wild rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine wild rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes until tender and some grains burst. Drain excess water and let cool slightly.
02 - While rice cooks, toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Set aside.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup or honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl until combined.
04 - Add cooked wild rice, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, diced apple if using, green onions, parsley, chives, and thyme to the bowl with vinaigrette. Toss gently to evenly coat.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day when all the flavors get to know each other.
  • You can make it ahead and feel like you've got your act together for weeknight dinners.
  • It's hearty enough to stand alone but elegant enough to bring to someone else's table.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the wild rice—it removes dust and helps prevent that slightly bitter taste some people get from unwashed rice.
  • The warm rice soaks up the vinaigrette better than cold rice, so dress it while it's still slightly warm and it'll taste more flavorful by the time you eat it.
03 -
  • Toast your pecans the morning of or even a few days before—they keep their crunch and you can taste that deeper, roasted quality with every bite.
  • If you're serving this at a gathering, pack the dressing separately and toss everything together just before serving so the herbs stay bright and the rice doesn't turn mushy.
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