Wild Rice Salad

This simple Wild Rice Salad is a riff on Gulfstream’s Wild Rice Salad recipe.  It’s loaded with wild rice, brown rice, onion, celery, cashews, pecans and figs.  It’s festive enough to serve as one of your healthy Thanksgiving side dishes but easy enough to make any night of the week.  

This cold rice salad comes together in about an hour.  It’s made with a delicious blend of brown rice and wild rice, celery, onion, dried figs, and roasted pecans and cashews all tossed in a light vinaigrette.

Gulfstream is a popular restaurant in Newport that’s known for its seafood, but they’re also known for their amazing wild rice salad.  This delicious rice salad is my riff on their salad.  It’s great to serve for holidays, backyard barbecues and as a side dish or vegetarian main any night of the week.

WILD RICE SALAD RECIPE

For the Salad

• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup wild rice/brown rice blend
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried figs
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted unsalted cashews
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion tops
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

For the Vinaigrette

• 1 tablespoons raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon pure clover honey
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE WILD RICE 

1. Combine the water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Drain well and cool.
4. Transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl.  

For the Salad

1. Add the figs, pecans, cashews, green onion, red onion and celery to the bowl of rice.  
2. Toss with vinaigrette.

For the Vinaigrette

1. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, honey and olive oil to a mason jar.
2. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until well blended,
3. Pour the vinaigrette over the rice mixture and toss well.
4. Season salad with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

IS WILD RICE GLUTEN FREE

Yes!  Wild rice is naturally gluten-free.

WILD RICE BENEFITS

Wild rice  health benefits are many!   Wild rice is a rich source of fiber, folate, magnesium and it’s slightly higher in protein than many whole grains.  Wild rice is also rich in antioxidants, which help to give a boost to your immune system and ward off chronic disease, such as coronary heart disease and stroke. 

HEALTHY SIDE DISH RECIPES

• Homemade Spanish Rice
• Spanish Quinoa
• Lemony Quinoa with Turmeric
• Pesto Cauliflower Rice
• Caramelized Onion Quinoa
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Yield: Serves 4 - 6

Wild Rice Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

This simple Wild Rice Salad is a riff on Gulfstream’s Wild Rice Salad recipe. It’s got an incredible combo of flavors, and makes a great gluten-free side dish for the holidays or any night of the week.

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup wild rice/brown rice blend
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried figs
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted unsalted cashews
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion tops
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoons raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon pure clover honey
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Drain well and cool.
4. Transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the figs, pecans, cashews, green onion, red onion and celery,

For the Vinaigrette

1. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, honey and olive oil to a mason jar.
2. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until well blended,
3. Pour the vinaigrette over the rice mixture and toss well.
4. Season salad with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.