Wild Rice Salad with Dried Cranberries, Apples & Orange Vinaigrette
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Brimming with tasty add-ins—like dried cranberries, apples, and nuts—this make-ahead rice salad is ideal for fall potlucks and holiday feasts.
Photo by Alexandria Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
To me, this wild rice salad just screams Thanksgiving potluck. It’s a bit time-intensive to make as part of a whole meal, but if you’re asked to bring just one special dish to a holiday party, this is the one. Not only is it make-ahead and portable, it’s a welcome relief from all those other dishes that have everyone unbuttoning their pants and slipping into carb-induced food comas. Plus, it makes fabulous leftovers; just add chopped roast turkey.
“Amazing! This salad contains all the wonderful autumn flavors. I’ve made it twice this week…We will be replacing our thanksgiving stuffing with this salad!”
What You’ll Need To Make Wild Rice Salad
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a medium pot, combine the rice, ¾ teaspoon of the salt, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low; cover and simmer until the rice is tender and most of the grains have split open, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the rice to a fine mesh strainer to drain any excess water. Let cool.
In a large bowl, add the orange zest, orange juice, oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
Whisk to combine.
Add the cooled rice.
Add the pecans, dried cranberries, parsley, celery, apples, pepitas, and scallions.
Toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.
Serve cold or at room temperature.
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Wild Rice Salad with Dried Cranberries, Apples & Orange Vinaigrette
Brimming with tasty add-ins—like dried cranberries, apples, and nuts—this make-ahead rice salad is ideal for fall potlucks and holiday feasts.
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
- 1¼ teaspoons salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from 1 orange
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (see note)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 tart yet sweet apple (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji), peeled, cored, and diced
- ¼ cup roasted and salted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- 2 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine the rice, ¾ teaspoon of the salt and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low; cover and simmer until the rice is tender and most of the grains have split open, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the rice to a fine mesh strainer to drain any excess water. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Add the cooled rice, pecans, dried cranberries, parsley, celery, apples, pepitas, and scallions. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.
- Note: To toast the pecans, preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 6 to 10 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.
- Make Ahead: This salad can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 409
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Sugar: 21 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 349 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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This salad is fabulous! I did a trial run for next weekend’s Easter dinner and I can’t stop eating it. Soooo good!
I expected this to be really good since it is a recipe from Jen, but holy heck this was divine. This made for a satisfying side dish, way beyond a regular rice and potatoes addition.
So so good the next day and definitely a solid choice for guests.
One of my guests was allergic to nuts so I left the pecans and pepitas out. Still delicious!
Weird question: Would this orange vinaigrette be fine on a green salad (spinach, kale, etc.) as well?
Sure, Ku, if you like the dressing, it would work well on any greens. 😊
I was just about to ask that myself! Can’t wait to try it on a simple salad later today…
Oh my gosh. We had to force ourselves to stop making this. It was equally delicious the next day. We shredded 2oz of smoked salmon on each serving for some protein. The dressing was a terrific complement to the salmon and would probably work well with any cooked white fish . That would be cod or scallops for this New Englander! Great thanks Jenn.
This recipe sounds yummy. If made the day before, should I add the dressing or wait til serving to add the dressing
You can add the dressing prior to putting it in the fridge. Hope you enjoy!
Made this as a vegetarian dish for a Christmas buffet. It was a huge hit. Many requests for the recipe. Best thing it can be assembled the day before. Will make it again soon
Very good. I used blood oranges for the orange juice (tangier flavor compared to navel oranges). Served with Thanksgiving dinner and was well-received. Added chopped ham the next day and it made a substantial lunch salad, too.
Hi Jenn,
All the stores are out of wild rice. Anything else I could use?
Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving!
Denise
Hi Denise, You can use a wild rice blend — are you able to find that?
I went to 2 stores and they didn’t have any kind of wild rice left. Was wondering if Wuinoa or another type of rice would work? Thanks so much for a quick response! You are the only site I use for recipes! I’ve made a zillion of your recipes and they are always amazing! I never use any other recipes but yours and I have both of your books. Thank you!
Denise
Thanks for your nice words about the recipes and support of the cookbooks! ❤️
Quinoa may work although it’s not as “sturdy” as wild rice. If you have brown rice, that would work well.
Absolutely outstanding! Just sent it to two people. I’m eating it as my lunch and hope that no one else in the house can find it in the fridge. So fresh, crunchy, LOVE the orange vinaigrette. Also FYI, Trader Joe’s sells an organic version of the dried cranberries with NO added sugar. I also used Lundberg’s wild rice blend. What’s extra great about this dish is the ability to serve at room temp, so if you bring it to someone’s house, no need to refrigerate OR heat up!
WOW!! I want to write this comment in all caps! It is delicious and healthy. This, and some variations, will be a frequent choice for this household. Substitutions are a way of life in this area, but such a delicious base can withstand subs and be true to the original. Thanks Jenn and team. Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgviing
Hi Jenn, I love all your recipes!! I would like to bring your Wild Rice Salad with cranberries, apples and orange vinaigrette to my Thanksgiving gathering. I think they all would love it. In my area though I can only find blends to make a wild rice. On most of your recipes you post a picture of the ingredients you are using in the recipe. I know you shop a lot at Whole Foods. Could you post a picture of the wild rice you use for this salad or post the brand name of the one you use. Thank you!
Hi Angela, thanks for your nice words about the recipes – so glad you like them! For the rice, I use Lundberg brand. They sell both wild rice and a wild rice mix, and either is fine – just make sure to follow the cooking directions on the package. Hope that helps and happy Thanksgiving!
I got this recipe in an email this morning and couldn’t wait to make it! I rushed to the store to grab the few items I didn’t already have on hand. The only thing I changed was I used a wild rice and red rice blend that I cooked in my instant pot. It came out amazing!! It’s time consuming, but oh so worth it. I’m going to eat it for lunch and dinner. Thank you for making my life a little more tasty
Hi, how long did you cook it in the IP for??
Amazing! This salad contains all the wonderful autumn flavors. I’ve made it twice this week! Super easy to add a protein to it as well. Tastes good either serving immediately or for lunch the next day. We will be replacing our thanksgiving stuffing with this salad! Thanks.
I made this today for an early Thanksgiving dinner. I am always trying new recipes. This one appealed to me. There was something about the taste that I’m not really sure about. I like all the ingredients in the recipe but don’t think they’ll work together for a great taste. It needs something but not sure what. Would carrots work with this recipe? It would also give it a more appealing look.
Sure, Patty, you can definitely add some shredded carrots to this.
Probably a silly question…. I need to use a wild rice blend because that’s all my store has, do I follow your rice cooking instructions or the ones on the package? The amount of water called for us very different. Thank you!!!
Hi Becky, I would follow the instructions on the package. Enjoy!
Would substituting maple syrup for honey to make it vegan work in the context of the flavor profile?
It will have a slightly different flavor, but will definitely work. Enjoy!
Can I use a wild rice blend? In my area it is difficult to fine just wild rice, but there are plenty of wild rice mixes.
Sure, Susan, that’s fine — enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
I am considering making this salad to bring to my family for Thanksgiving. It sounds delicious! Out of curiosity, can I make the rice a day or two before and then put it together the day of? Also, would pomegranate work in the salad?
Best,
Marjorie
Yes and yes!