Wild Rice Winter Salad
Wild Rice Winter Salad
This Wild Rice Winter Salad is hearty and comforting for when the weather is chilly. The mix of rice, crunchy vegetables, sweet golden raisins, and salty feta makes for a perfect cozy meal all on its own or as a side dish. This salad is pretty to look at, simple to put together and absolutely delicious!
I don’t really love meal prep, but I love having something healthy, delicious and readily available in the fridge to grab when I am busy during the work day. This salad is perfect for that.
This wild rice salad is full of goodness, featuring crunch, tang, nuttiness and chew, but if you don’t have these particular ingredients on hand or you want to switch it up, you can customize it to what you have. Here are a few ideas you can swap in to make it your own:
Dice Apple
Pomegranate arils
Dried cherries or cranberries
Pumpkin seeds or walnuts
A handful of arugula or spinach
You won’t regret the effort to pull this salad together. Let’s get cooking, and enjoy!
Wild Rice Winter Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked wild rice blend (I like @lunenberg)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup feta cheese crumbles (optional; omit for vegan)
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer under cold water. If you follow me on instagram, I asked the community if this was necessary and apparently it’s a good idea to do always! Then, make the rice according to the package directions. I like to add a little olive oil and salt into my rice. (You can make the rice ahead and refrigerate until serving, up to 2 days.)
Meanwhile, prepare the celery, green onion, and parsley.
In a small bowl or jar with a tight fitting lid, whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt.
When the rice is cooked and cooled, mix it in a large bowl with the chopped vegetables, dressing, feta cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans.
Make ahead suggestions
This salad stores up to 3 days refrigerated. For make ahead, cook the rice and mix the dressing in advance and refrigerate. Add all salad ingredients together before serving.
This Wild Rice Winter Salad is vegetarian and gluten-free. If you are vegan, use a vegan feta or just omit the feta. Enjoy! And please tag me on instagram @christies.lovestory. I love seeing your kitchen creations!