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Wild Rice Harvest Salad

Wild Rice Harvest salad is overflowing with lots of satisfying crunchies, and you'll enjoy eating the rainbow of toppings. Dressed with this easy to prepare maple Dijon vinaigrette.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 10 -12 Servings
Calories: 639 kcal
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Bacon nitrate, nitrite free, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 medium honeycrisp apple washed, sliced thin (or other sweet/crisp apple)
  • 1/4 lemon juiced (for the apples)
  • 1 cup fresh pomegranate arils seeds
  • 1 1/2 cups red or green grapes washed, halved
  • 1 cup crumbled goat cheese substitute other creamy cheese, like Blue Cheese or Feta
  • 1 1/2 cups roasted salted pecans or other nuts
  • 8 cups fresh greens such as arugula, chopped romaine, baby kale
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil like grapeseed or avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 teaspoons shallot finely minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt kosher
  • 1/8-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Wild Rice
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup wild rice
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
    Cup of Yum
  1. Pour veggie oil into blender, jar or bowl; I like using grapeseed oil or avocado oil, both delicious and high in omega's and nutrients. Add Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and balance of ingredients and blend until lighter, creamy and smooth.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to use and refrigerate any leftovers. For more detail and variation ideas on dressing, see the post.
Wild Rice
  1. In a medium pot, pour chicken broth and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in wild rice and sea salt. Reduce heat to low/simmer and cover for about 45-60 minutes, until rice is split open and curly.
  2. You will probably have leftover broth, wild rice won't absorb all the liquid. Remove rice with a slotted spoon to bowl to cool and place in fridge until ready to use. Save leftover rice broth to use in a soup or give as a treat to your pet. 
Prep and Assemble Salad
  1. Wash and dry apple -- cut in quarters, slicing out core, the slice into thin slices. Place in covered glass container or ziplock baggie; squeeze fresh lemon juice; toss gently to coat, refrigerate until ready. 
  2. Wash and pat dry your grapes, slice in half and place in separate baggie or covered glass container, place in fridge until ready to use. 
  3. Fry or bake bacon (350° on foil lined cookie sheet for about 12-18 minutes depending on thickness), drain and cool, crumble into small pieces, set aside. Seed pomegranate, or purchase pre-packaged pomegranate arils. Make sure you have your desired nuts, cheese. 
Assemble the Salad
  1. On desired platter or plates, place a layer of greens. Arrange the balance of the ingredients in pretty patterns, whether in straight rows, or in patterns, or toss together. When ready to serve, drizzle with maple Dijon vinaigrette, toss and serve. 

Notes

  • Easily adjust (increase/decrease) this salad according to needs!
  • Variations and Substitutions for the Salad
  • Your imagination is the limit with these salads, make it your own! Here are some swaps and suggestions. 
  • chicken broth
  • Try a hearty quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, barley or farro cook according to package directions substituting recommended liquid with chicken broth.
  • Substitute apples with pears, or go the citrus route with oranges or grapefruits.
  • Instead of pomegranate arils, try blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries.
  • Replace the goat cheese with crumbled blue cheese, gorgonzola or even feta cheese.
  • Try adding pistachios, cashews, walnuts, or almonds in place of, or in addition to the pecans. Also, roasted pepitas, pine nuts and/or sunflower seeds would add a fun crunch. Any roasted and salted nut or seed would work great, or try candied nuts or a spiced nut as well. 
  • Replace the grapes with any grape variety (though keep seedless), any berry or even melon balls.
  • Making vegetarian or vegan? Omit bacon (unless you are like some of my vegetarian friends who make an exception for bacon...tee hee) and cheese as desired.
  • Or try substituting the bacon with turkey bacon, a firm chopped pepperoni or salami, or crispy prosciutto (ooh with cantaloupe, yum)

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 639kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 32g (11%) Protein 17g (34%) Fat 51g (78%) Saturated Fat 13g (65%) Polyunsaturated Fat 16g Monounsaturated Fat 19g Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 40mg (13%) Sodium 1012mg (42%) Potassium 502mg (14%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 14g (28%) Vitamin A 672IU (13%) Vitamin C 7mg (8%) Calcium 97mg (10%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10-12 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 639

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 639kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 32g 11%
Protein 17g 34%
Fat 51g 78%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Polyunsaturated Fat 16g 94%
Monounsaturated Fat 19g 95%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 1012mg 42%
Potassium 502mg 11%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 14g 28%
Vitamin A 672IU 13%
Vitamin C 7mg 8%
Calcium 97mg 10%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.