Wild Rice Salad
A flavorful and satisfying Wild Rice Salad with feta, apples, pomegranate seeds, and arugula will impress your guests at any dinner occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice
- 2-3 cups arugula (rocket)
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds/arils
- 1 red apple diced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup toasted pecans or sliced almonds
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese or gorgonzola cheese
For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic pressed or very finely minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- To cook the rice: In a saucepan bring 4-6 cups of water to a boil, add ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of wild rice. Cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer, lower the heat to the lowest setting possible and cook for 30 minutes. The rice is done when some of the grains will burst, you want it to be tender but not overly tender so I always check by fishing out a couple of grains and tasting them. Drain in a colander, and place in a bowl to cool.
- Make the dressing: In a bowl or a small jar combine the olive oil with balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake well until combined. You want the dressing to be emulsified and creamy.
- Make the Salad: To a large bowl, add the cooked rice, arugula, onion, pomegranate seeds, apple, cranberries and pecan. If serving right away, add the dressing and toss gently to combine. Top with crumbled feta and serve.
Video
Notes
- To toast the pecans, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, spread pecan halves on a small quarter-size sheet pan, and toast for 6-8 minutes. Be careful not to burn them!
- Instead of Peacans, try toasted slivered almonds or walnuts.
- To Remove Pomegranate Seeds: Cut the pomegranate in half horizontally. Then, hold one half, cut side down, in your palm, over a bowl. Whack the pomegranate (you need to hit it harder than you might think!) with a wooden spoon to get the seeds to pop out.
- Crumble your own feta cheese. Instead of buying cheese crumbles, buy a block of cheese and crumble it yourself just before adding it to the salad. It tastes so much better this way!
- Red Onions: I like the bite of freshly sliced red onion in this recipe, but if you'd like to make your onion a bit less intense, soak the slices in cold water for 5-10 minutes.
- Add Protein. Cooked shrimp, sliced chicken, or leftover steak would all be a wonderful addition to a wild rice salad.
Nutrition
Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 371mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 239IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/wild-rice-salad/