Wild Rice Salad

Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries, Apricots and Pecans

This wild rice salad combines chewy wild rice, dried fruit and toasted pecans. The cranberries and apricots add a touch of sweetness, while scallions and parsley give the salad a little freshness and mild onion flavor, and an orange maple Dijon dressing adds just enough sweetness and acidity.

It's an easy side dish to prepare ahead for a holiday meal or weekday lunches. The rice can be cooked in advance, and the salad assembled ahead of time. Serve it as a side dish or toss it with baby spinach and chickpeas or another protein of your choice for a main-course salad.

What Makes This Salad Work

• Seasonal flavors: Nutty wild rice, tart cranberries, sweet apricots and toasted pecans are paired with a bright orange maple Dijon dressing.
• Make it ahead: Cook the rice in advance and refrigerate the assembled salad until needed. Reserve some of the toasted pecans to add just before serving to preserve their crunch.
• A side dish or lunch: Serve it alongside a holiday meal or toss it with baby spinach and your protein of choice for lunch.

Choosing and Cooking Wild Rice

Pure wild rice is the best choice for this recipe. Its firm, chewy texture and nutty flavor works well with the dried fruit, toasted pecans and citrus dressing.

Wild rice can take longer to cook than other types of rice, and cooking times vary by brand. Rather than relying on a fixed amount of water, try the pasta method (see full directions below): cook the rice in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, then drain it thoroughly. This approach makes it easier to control the texture without worrying about the precise water-to-rice ratio.

How to Cook Wild Rice Using the Pasta Method

Cooking wild rice like pasta is an easy alternative to the traditional method because you don't need to measure a precise amount of water.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add the wild rice and reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook uncovered, checking the package instructions for an approximate cooking time. Begin checking for doneness toward the earlier end of the suggested range.
3. Continue cooking until the grains are tender and some have split open. Depending on the rice, this can take around 40–60 minutes or longer.
4. Drain the rice thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve.
5. Return the rice to the warm pot, cover and let it steam for about 5 minutes.
6. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Spread it on a rimmed baking sheet to cool before assembling the salad.

The rice should be tender but still hold its shape, with a pleasantly chewy texture. Draining it thoroughly helps prevent excess moisture from watering down the dressing.

A note on cooking times: Wild rice varies in size, age and texture, so the cooking time can differ considerably. Use the package directions as a guide and taste the rice as it cooks. For the best results, check the rice periodically toward the end of cooking. The grains should be tender and slightly split, with a pleasant chew, rather than hard in the center or mushy. If it is still firm in the center, continue cooking and check again every few minutes.

Ingredients You'll Need

For the Salad

• Wild rice: Use pure wild rice. Cook it until tender but still firm enough to hold its shape, then drain and cool it before assembling the salad.
• Scallions: Adds a mild onion flavor without overwhelming the fruit or citrus.
• Fresh parsley: Finely chopped parsley brings freshness to the salad.
• Dried cranberries: Cranberries work particularly well with the orange dressing.
• Dried apricots: Their mellow sweetness complements the cranberries. Chop them into small pieces so they're distributed evenly throughout the rice.
• Pecans: Toasting the pecans deepens their flavor and brings out their natural richness. Let them cool before chopping and adding them to the salad.

For the Orange Maple Dijon Dressing

• Fresh orange juice and zest: The juice provides acidity and sweetness, while the zest adds a more concentrated orange flavor.
• Extra-virgin olive oil: Gives the dressing body and balances the acidity of the orange.
• Maple syrup: Softens the citrus and mustard without making the dressing overly sweet.
• Dijon mustard: Adds tang and helps emulsify the oil and juice.
• Salt: To season, use a fine sea salt.

How to Make Wild Rice Salad

1. Cook the rice

Cook the wild rice using the pasta method described above, or follow the package directions if you prefer another cooking method. Allow enough time for the grains to become tender while retaining their chewy texture.

Drain the rice thoroughly and let it cool. Spreading it on a rimmed baking sheet helps it cool more quickly and allows excess moisture to evaporate.

2. Whisk the dressing

Combine the orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and salt in a bowl. Whisk until emulsified, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

3. Assemble the salad

Put the cooled rice in a large bowl. Add the scallions, parsley, dried cranberries, chopped apricots and toasted pecans. Pour over the dressing and toss thoroughly.

Taste again after mixing. Wild rice absorbs dressing as it rests, so the seasoning may need a final adjustment before serving.

4. Serve

The salad can be served at room temperature or chilled. If serving it slightly warm, allow the rice to cool a little before adding the parsley and pecans. For a cold salad, refrigerate it until needed and toss again before serving.

Tips for the Best Wild Rice Salad

• Don't undercook or overcook the rice. Wild rice should be tender, with some grains split open. Check it regularly toward the end of cooking, since timing varies by brand.
• Drain the rice thoroughly. Excess cooking water can dilute the dressing and make the salad watery.
• Let the rice cool before assembling. This helps prevent the parsley from wilting.
• Cut the dried apricots into small pieces. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly throughout the salad, making it easier to get a little of everything in each bite.
• Reserve some pecans for serving. If you're making the salad ahead, hold back a small handful of toasted pecans to add just before serving.
• Adjust the seasoning before serving. Chilling can mute flavors, and the rice will absorb some of the dressing as it rests. Toss the salad and taste it again, adding a little salt, orange juice or olive oil if needed.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The wild rice can be cooked a day or two in advance and refrigerated once it has cooled. The dressing can also be whisked together ahead of time and stored separately in the refrigerator.

You can assemble the salad in advance, too. The flavors have time to mingle as it rests, although the rice will absorb some of the dressing and the pecans will gradually soften. For the best contrast in texture, reserve some of the toasted pecans to add just before serving.

Store the finished salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3–4 days. Toss before serving and check the seasoning; a little additional dressing or salt may be needed after chilling.

How to Serve Wild Rice Salad

For a holiday meal: Serve the salad alongside roasted squash, root vegetables, turkey or a vegetarian main course. The dried fruit and orange dressing works well with fall flavors.

For lunch: Spoon the salad over baby spinach and add chickpeas.

For a potluck or buffet: This salad can be served at room temperature, so it doesn't require last-minute cooking. Keep it refrigerated until shortly before serving and follow standard food-safety guidance for how long it can remain out.

Variations

• Use different dried fruit: Dried cherries can replace some or all of the cranberries. If using sweeter fruit, taste the dressing before adding the full amount of maple syrup.
• Change the nuts: Toasted walnuts or almonds can replace the pecans.
• Add leafy greens: Baby spinach makes the salad more substantial. Add it shortly before serving to keep the leaves from wilting.
• Make it a main course: Add chickpeas or lentils.

Final Thoughts

The combination of wild rice, dried fruit, pecans and orange makes this salad perfect for fall and winter meals. Prepare the rice ahead of time, then toss everything together when you're ready to serve.

More Fall Salads

• Kale and Quinoa Salad
• Butternut Squash and Feta Salad
• Beet Sweet Potato Salad

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Yield: Serves 4-6

Wild Rice Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

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Ingredients

For the salad

• 1 cup/180g uncooked wild rice
• 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup/60g dried cranberries
• ½ cup/65g dried apricots, chopped
• ½ cup/56g pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

For the orange maple Dijon dressing

• ¼ cup/60 ml fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 3 Tablespoons/45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon/15ml maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon/5g Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the rice. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the wild rice and reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered, until tender and some pieces have split open. This may take 50 minutes or longer (use the package instructions as a guide). Drain thoroughly, return the rice to the warm pot, cover and let it steam for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then spread on a baking sheet or large plate to cool.
2. Make the dressing. In a large serving bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and salt until emulsified.
3. Assemble the salad. Add the cooled rice, scallions, parsley, cranberries, apricots and toasted pecans to the bowl with the dressing. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
4. Taste and adjust. Add more salt, orange juice or maple syrup as needed. If the rice absorbs most of the dressing, add a little extra olive oil and orange juice.
5. Serve. Serve at room temperature or chilled. If making the salad ahead, reserve some of the pecans to scatter over the top just before serving.

Notes

Cooking the rice: Cooking times vary by brand. The pasta method allows you to cook the rice in plenty of water, then drain it when tender. Taste it toward the end of cooking to check the texture.

Making ahead: Prepare the salad several hours in advance and refrigerate until serving. Toss again before serving and adjust the seasoning if needed.

For lunch: Serve over baby spinach and add chickpeas, white beans, or cooked lentils.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and use within 3–4 days.

Dietary Notes

Vegan: This recipe is naturally vegan.

Gluten-free: Wild rice and the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Check the labels for any cross-contamination.

Dairy-free: This recipe contains no dairy.

Vegetarian: Suitable for a vegetarian diet.

Nut-free: Not as written, since the recipe contains pecans. For a nut-free version, omit the pecans or replace them with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 113Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 225mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 7g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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