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
Powered by 
- 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
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.