Wild Rice Salad

This Wild Rice Salad combines cooked and cooled wild rice with mixed greens, roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranate arils, creamy feta (or goat) cheese, and honey-roasted almonds. A simple and delicious lemon vinaigrette ties everything together perfectly!

Serve this salad on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table along with Crockpot Turkey Breast, Sweet Potato Casserole, Thanksgiving Dressing, Roasted Vegetables, and the best, no-knead Dinner Rolls.  And save room for dessert! This Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie Recipe.

Wild Rice Salad

This autumn Wild Rice Salad is one of my favorites! Mixed greens with a seasoned, cooked-and-cooled wild rice blend, plus roasted sweet potatoes make up the base. Then we’ve got pops of flavor, texture, and creaminess coming from the pomegranate, cheese, and almonds.

Truthfully though, I don’t reserve this salad only for the fall and winter; I’ll make a Wild Rice Salad summer version by replacing the pomegranate arils with sweetened dried cranberries or dried tart cherries. If you want to take advantage of fresh fruit while keeping with the red fruit theme, go for some fresh strawberries or red raspberries. Check out a few other ways I change up this salad:

Wild Rice Salad Dressing

The dressing whips together so quickly–simply add everything to a jar with a lid, and shake to combine! You might recognize this dressing from my favorite Lemon Vinaigrette — it’s adapted from that recipe. Here’s what we’ve got in the dressing:

• Lemons. Bottled lemon juice doesn’t pack the same flavor as fresh, and since lemon is one of the main flavors here–go for the fresh lemons. The dressing also benefits from lemon zest which is another reason to use fresh lemon.
• Red wine vinegar. Instead of relying solely on lemon juice for flavor and tanginess, I add red wine vinegar which adds even more zip and some flavor nuance.
• Dijon mustard. Make sure to use Dijon, not yellow mustard.
• Olive oil. I recommend extra virgin olive oil for this recipe.
• Honey. Since the vinegar and lemon add a fair amount of tang, I like balancing that out with some honey.
• Dried oregano. This dried herb adds a flavor that nicely complements the wild rice. You could also use dried Italian seasoning here.
• Salt and pepper. Add to taste preference, remembering that an extra pinch can be the difference between a good and a stellar dressing!

QUICK TIP

To control how sweet this Wild Rice Salad is, adjust the honey in the dressing. For a sweeter dressing, add additional honey slowly, and to taste. For a tangier dressing, reduce the honey.

How To Deseed A Pomegranate

Cut and deseed a pomegranate or use already seeded pomegranate arils! These arils are typically sold in small plastic cups in the refrigerated produce section or freshly cut fruit section of most grocery stores. They can sometimes be tricky to find and are usually only sold in the US from October to February. If the pre-seeded pomegranate isn’t available, then you’ll need to do it yourself.

Here’s how I like to remove the seeds from a pomegranate: 

1. Cut in half.
2. Hold one half (cut side down) with one hand over a bowl.
3. Use a wooden spoon to firmly hit the pomegranate.
4. Watch as the pomegranate seeds fall out (along with some of the surrounding membrane).
5. Fill up the bowl with water and watch as the membranes rise to the top.
6. Scoop them out, discard, and drain.
7. Arils are ready to use in this wild rice salad!

QUICK TIP

Pomegranates are brilliantly red. They stain, so be sure to use care when using this fruit! Use a paper towel, rather than a kitchen towel to avoid staining when cleaning up. Storing the arils in a glass container is a better choice than plastic, for the same reason.

Let’s Chat Wild Rice

To make an easy wild rice salad, I like to use a packaged seasoned wild rice blend. These mixes only take around 20-25 minutes and are already nicely seasoned/flavored. The blend mixes in a few other grains, since 100% wild rice is pretty dense.

That said, if you’d prefer to make your own homemade seasoned wild rice mix, here’s my favorite homemade wild rice mix:

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup wild rice blend (see “quick tip” below)
  
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1-2/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon EACH: oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

Instructions:

1. In a fine-mesh sieve, thoroughly rinse the wild rice blend.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer (a few notches above the lowest temperature).
3. Cover the pot.
4. Cook for about 45 minutes and then check. If tender, stop cooking–if not, cook for another 10-15 minutes or until it is tender. Add additional broth if needed.
5. When the rice is cooked through, drain off any additional liquid and fluff it with a fork.

Wild Rice Salad FAQs

Can wild rice be cooked the day before?

Yes. The rice can be made up to three days in advance.

Do I need to soak wild rice before cooking?

No soaking is needed, but I do like to thoroughly rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve before using.

How to make wild rice salad?

Wild Rice Salad has a few components, but they come together quickly and easily.

If you’ve never roasted sweet potatoes, you’re in for a treat! Here’s a complete guide on preparing roasted sweet potatoes, with step-by-step photos showing how to chop the potato.

What To Serve With Wild Rice Salad

• Chicken. To make a chicken salad with wild rice, prepare some blackened chicken or grill some chicken to serve on the side or to chop and mix into the salad
• Add to your holiday table spread.
• Serve with an easy weeknight meal like Harvest Vegetables and Sausage or this Pumpkin Pasta.
• Have a soup and salad dinner — serve this wild rice salad alongside this Easy Tomato Soup or Potato Leek Soup.

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Wild Rice Salad

4.88 from 16 votes

- Review this recipe

This Wild Rice Salad combines cooked and cooled wild rice with mixed greens, roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranate arils, creamy feta (or goat) cheese, and honey-roasted almonds. A simple and delicious lemon vinaigrette ties everything together perfectly!

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

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Wild Rice Salad

4.88 from 16 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

This Wild Rice Salad combines cooked and cooled wild rice with mixed greens, roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranate arils, creamy feta (or goat) cheese, and honey-roasted almonds. A simple and delicious lemon vinaigrette ties everything together perfectly!

Course Salad, Vegetarian

Cuisine American, Healthy

Keyword wild rice salad, wild rice salad recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8 servings (as a side)

Chelsea Lords

Calories 343kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $8.32

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pkg. (4.3 oz.) Long Grain & Wild Rice Mix (For homemade see Note 1)
• ▢ 2½ cups peeled & chopped sweet potatoes, (¾ of 1 lb. or 2 medium potatoes)
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ Fine sea salt & pepper
• ▢ 8 gently packed cups (8 oz.) mixed greens (spinach & baby greens)
• ▢ 1½ cup sliced almonds (we love honey-roasted) (Note 2)
• ▢ 1 cup pomegranate arils (1 large pomegranate) (Note 3)
• ▢ 2-4 ounces crumbled goat cheese or feta (add to preference)

Lemon Honey Dressing

• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1 large lemon (2 tablespoons juice, 1/4 teaspoon zest)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and set out an extra-large sheet pan.
• Cook wild rice according to package directions or using the homemade version (see Note 1). Cool completely before using (I refrigerate it). You can make wild rice up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Peel and chop the sweet potato into 1-inch cubes and place them on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Space them out for even cooking.
• Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for another 10 minutes. If not tender, flip again and bake for 5-10 more minutes until fork-tender and nicely roasted. Watch carefully to avoid over-roasting. Set aside to cool completely.
• Combine all dressing ingredients in a glass jar or bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to taste. Shake with the lid on (or whisk in the bowl) until combined. Adjust seasoning if needed. Store in the fridge and shake again before using.
• Combine the cooled wild rice mixture with the lettuce until well mixed. Add the cooled roasted sweet potato, pomegranate arils, almonds, and cheese to taste. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently until fully coated. Eat the salad the same day to avoid wilting.
• Only add dressing, almonds, and cheese to the portion you plan to eat that day. This salad is best enjoyed right after dressing, so if you want leftovers, keep the almonds, cheese, and dressing separate until serving.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Wild Rice: If you prefer making wild rice from scratch, check the "Let's chat wild rice" section in the post for detailed instructions.

Note 2: Almonds: For maximum flavor, toast plain almonds instead of using packaged honey-roasted ones. To toast: place almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring until fragrant. Remove and let cool.

Note 3: Pomegranate: You can either cut and deseed a pomegranate or use pre-seeded pomegranate arils. These are typically found in small plastic cups in the refrigerated produce section or freshly cut fruit section of most grocery stores. They are usually available in the US from October to February.

Here’s how I like to remove the seeds from a pomegranate: 

1. Cut in half.
2. Hold one half (cut side down) with one hand over a bowl.
3. Use a wooden spoon to firmly hit the pomegranate.
4. Watch as the pomegranate seeds fall out (along with some of the surrounding membrane).
5. Fill up the bowl with water and watch as the membranes rise to the top.
6. Scoop them out, discard, and drain.
7. Arils are ready to use in this wild rice salad!

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 547mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 8339IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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