5 from 16 votes
Wild Rice Salad
Wild Rice Salad combines chewy cooked wild rice with roasted sweet potatoes, toasted pecans, diced apple, dried cranberries, and red onion. Mixed with a maple cider vinaigrette and accented by crumbled feta and green onions, it offers a balance of sweet, tart, nutty, and savory flavors. The salad can be served warm or at room temperature, making it a hearty side dish or light meal.
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings:
8
servings
Calories:
296 kcal
Course:
Salad
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice raw; or 2 1/2 cups cooked
- 1 sweet potato peeled and cut into small dice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
- 1 Tbsp butter salted
- 1 small apple Granny Smith variety, cut into small dice
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup onion red, finely chopped
- 2-3 green onions small, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
maple cider dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp mustard
- 1 Tbsp shallot minced
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil. Add the rice and stir. Bring back to the boil, then cover, lower the heat and simmer for 40 -60 minutes, or until the rice is tender. I prefer my wild rice chewy, so I cook for about 40 minutes. Drain and put in a salad bowl. Toss the warm rice with some of the dressing so that it can absorb the flavors.
- While the rice is cooking toss the sweet potato with the olive oil and maple syrup to coat well, and spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Roast just until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Rearrange them once during cooking. Put them under the broiler at the end if you want more caramelization, but watch very carefully so they don't burn. Let them cool.
- Meanwhile melt the butter in a skillet and toast the pecans for a few minutes until they start to turn golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat and let cool, then give them a rough chop. This will give the pecans so much more flavor than if you leave them raw.
- Add the slightly cooled sweet potatoes to the bowl with the rice, along with the pecans, apple, cranberries, and onions.
- Toss with just enough dressing to moisten but not soak the salad. (Save the extra dressing in case you need to add more later.) Chill the salad until ready to serve.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with feta cheese crumbles.
Cup of Yum
To make the dressing
- Whisk the ingredients together. Taste to adjust the seasonings or acidity level.
Nutrition Information
Calories
296kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
36g
(12%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
16g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Trans Fat
0.1g
(5%)
Cholesterol
8mg
(3%)
Sodium
87mg
(4%)
Potassium
270mg
(6%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
14g
(28%)
Vitamin A
4119IU
(82%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
54mg
(5%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 296
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 296kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 8mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 87mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 270mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 14g | 28% |
| Vitamin A | 4119IU | 82% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 54mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.