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    Profusion Curry » Seasonal and Holiday Recipes

    Wild Rice Salad

    Published: Oct 27, 2020 · Modified: Nov 16, 2022 by Prajakta Sukhatme · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Wild Rice Salad is hearty and satisfying salad worthy of a main meal. This bright and beautiful vegan salad is full of flavorful and tender wild rice tossed along with apples, oranges and pomegranate and walnuts. Use this festive and elegant salad for your next Thanksgiving and holiday dinner. It sure will be a guest favorite. 

    seasoned wild rice and other fruits and vegetables mixed salad served on a holiday dinner platter.

    This delicious wild rice salad will be a sure fire hit at your holiday dinner. Use as a side dish, for stuffing, meal prep or wholesome salad type meal by itself. This vegan rice recipe is so easy but so delicious and fragrant! And it is easy to adapt so make it as you like it !

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Highlights
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • How To Make
    • Pro Tips
    • Our Favorite Holiday Recipes
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Amazing Salads
    • Wild Rice Salad

    I am including detailed instructions on how to cook wild rice from scratch in Instant Pot as well as stove top. Once you have wild rice ready, you can assemble this salad in no time.  You can also make a big batch and freeze cooked wild rice for meal preps. To save time, you can buy cooked wild rice as well.

    Recipe Highlights

    Wild Rice is sautéed in oil and mirepoix. Then cooked with aromatics for the perfectly textured flavorful side dish. Sautéed celery and onions give this rice a classic “stuffing” flavor. The harvest fruits like apples, oranges and pomegranate add beautiful fall colors and pop of freshness.

    This recipe is my adapted version of Ina Garten Wild Rice Salad. Similar to Mushroom Wild Rice Soup, it is our family favorite wild rice recipe. And for all good reasons!

    You can use this recipe instead of traditional stuffing for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner to impress your guests. It surely brings a WOW factor and the festive vibes to the holiday menu !

    • Vegan
    • Gluten-free
    • Dairy Free
    • Eggless
    • Soy Free
    • Easy to Make
    • Stores well – Suitable for prep ahead and meal preps

    Ingredients

    Ingredients used in making this salad.
    • Wild Rice : Wash and Rinse in cold water before using.
    • Mirepoix Mix : shallot ( onion) celery and carrots
    • Aromatics and Seasoning: minced ginger and garlic,  all purpose seasoning ( I use Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute )
    • Herbs : use fresh or dried rosemary,  thyme and chives.
    • Toppings : chopped walnuts, apples, tangerines or oranges and pomegranate arils.
    • Dressing : Lemon juice, Olive Oil, salt and pepper

    Substitutions

    • Instead of wild rice, you can use various other grains. Aged basmati white rice, long grain brown rice, mixed rice mixture, bulgar, barley, couscous, quinoa or cauliflower rice are all good options.
    • You can add seasoning of you choice. Curry powder,  Garam masala, Italian seasoning are some options.
    • You can skip the walnuts to make it nut free.
    • Pecans, almonds, pine nuts or cashews can be used instead of walnuts.
    • Instead of fresh pomegranate arils, use dried cranberries,  dried cherries, chopped dates or raisins.
    • Besides apples and oranges, you could add other fruits like pears, kiwis, peaches or berries. You can also add peas , broccoli or beans as additional veggies.
    • Add a simple dressing. Whisk orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and dijon mustard and use it for added taste.

    How To Make

    There are two major steps in making this recipe. First is to prepare seasoned wild rice. Second step is prep the rest of the salad ingredients and mix in the salad.

    Prepare Seasoned Wild Rice :

    1. Press SAUTE mode and let the Instant Pot heat up for about a minute. Add oil and minced garlic and ginger, onions, celery, carrots. Sprinkle some salt. Sauté until onions start to become transparent.
    2. Stir in wild rice, all purpose seasoning and broth ( water ). Add ground black pepper. Make sure the rice is submerged in the liquid. Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
    3. After it is done cooking, do a 15 minute Natural Pressure Release. Then release any remaining pressure using the quick release method. Once the float valve is down, open the lid. Fluff the rice with a fork. Your Seasoned Wild Rice is ready !
    Process step collage showing how to make seasoned wild rice to be used as a base of the salad.

    Prepare the Salad

    1. Wash and cut the apples. Peel the oranges. Gather rest of the ingredients.
    2. In a large bowl, add cooked and seasoned wild rice. Stir in lemon juice, chopped walnuts, apples, oranges and pomegranate seeds.
    3. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Mix well. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve, share and enjoy!
    Process step 5 with salad ready to be assembled.

    Pro Tips

    • Thoroughly rinse the rice under cold water and let the water drain off completely before cooking. A lot of people prefer to soak the wild rice for extended period of time. You can do so, if you like. I cook it straight after washing and never had any issues with it.
    • Cook the wild rice beforehand. You want the rice to cool down and be at room temperature or cooler before adding it to the salad.
    • Use it as a meal prep or make ahead fast and easy side dish for holidays. Keep the rice ready well in advance. Then just assemble the salad when you are ready to eat.

    Our Favorite Holiday Recipes

    • Creamed Corn
    • No Drain Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with Skin
    • Sweet Potato Casserole
    • Air Fryer Hasselbeck Sweet Potatoes
    • Delicious Cranberry Orange Sauce
    • Vegan Creamed Spinach
    • Mulled Apple Cider

    Recipe FAQs

    How to Make Wild Rice on Stove Top?

    In a heavy bottom saucepan, add wild rice, all purpose seasoning, salt and pepper and broth ( or water ). Make sure the rice is submerged in the liquid. Let the liquid come to boil. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pot. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Check intermittently to ensure there is enough liquid for proper cooking. Cook until rice morsel are fork tender, almost doubled in size and most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat. Let it stay covered for 30 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. Use as needed.

    How to cook wild rice in Instant Pot?

    Put wild rice, all purpose seasoning, salt, pepper and broth ( or water )in the main insert of Instant Pot. Make sure the rice is submerged in the liquid. Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes. After it is done cooking, do a 15 minute Natural Pressure Release. Then release any remaining pressure using the quick release method. Once the float valve is down, open the lid. Fluff the rice with a fork. Your Seasoned Wild Rice is ready !

    How long should I cook wild rice?

    The cooking time to make wild rice is roughly 25 – 30 minutes. It largely depends upon your texture preference. I usually cook it for 25 minutes which I find to be just right. The grains have a little chewy bite to them , which I like. If you’d like the rice to be cooked softer, add another 2 minutes of cooking time.

    What is wild rice?

    Wild rice is a species of grass that produces edible seeds resembling rice. It has an outer sheath (or shell) on the outside and a soft grain on the inside.

    Is wild rice good for you?

    Yes. Wild rice is a whole grain with complex carbohydrates and full of several nutrients, including protein, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. It also has double the amount of protein and fiber than regular rice. This Healthline article is a great resource for this information.

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    ★ If you make this Wild Rice Salad Recipe do let us know how you like it by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.

    Wild rice salad with fruits and vegetables.

    Wild Rice Salad

    Prajakta Sukhatme
    This delicious wild rice salad will be a hit at your holiday dinner. Flavorful and tender wild rice served along with apples, oranges and pomegranate and walnuts. This vibrant vegan and gluten free vegetarian rice is full of amazing flavors and textures.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Colorful Salads
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 -10 cups
    Calories 273 kcal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Ingredients
      

    For Seasoned Wild Rice

    • 1 cup Wild Rice – washed and rinsed
    • 3 cup low sodium vegetable broth or water
    • 1 medium onion -finely chopped
    • 1 stalk celery -chopped
    • ½ cup carrots chopped
    • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
    • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
    • 1 Tablespoon oil I used Olive Oil
    • 1 teaspoon All Purpose seasoning Blend I like Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute
    • Fresh Herbs : Rosemary chives and thyme ( ¼ teaspoon each if using dry)

    Salad and Garnishes

    • 2 cups apples cored and chopped
    • 2 cups tangerines or oranges separate the petals
    • 1 cup Pomegranate seeds
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts
    • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
    • salt and pepper
    • ¼ cup Fresh chopped herbs like rosemary or chives

    Instructions
     

    Prepare the seasoned Wild Rice in Instant Pot

    • Press SAUTE mode and let the Instant Pot heat up for about a minute.  Add oil and minced garlic and ginger,  onions, celery, carrots. Sprinkle some salt.  Sauté until onions start to become transparent.
    • Stir in wild rice, all purpose seasoning and broth ( water ). Add ground black pepper.  Make sure the rice is submerged in the liquid.Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
    • After it is done cooking, do a 15 minute Natural Pressure Release (NPR).  Then release any remaining pressure using the quick release method.
    • Once the float valve is down, open the lid. Fluff the rice with a fork. Rice is Ready.

    How to Prepare seasoned wild rice on stove top

    • In a heavy bottom pan, heat the oil. Add minced garlic and ginger, onions, celery and carrots. Sprinkle some salt.  Sauté until onions start to become transparent.
    • Stir in wild rice, all purpose seasoning and broth ( water ). Add ground black pepper.  Make sure the rice is submerged in the liquid.
    • Let the liquid come to boil. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pot. Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. Check intermittently to ensure there is enough liquid for proper cooking. Cook until rice morsel are fork tender, almost doubled in size and most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat.
    • Let it stay covered for 20 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.

    Prepare the Salad

    • In a large salad bowl add cooked and seasoned wild rice. Stir in lemon juice, chopped walnuts,  apples,  oranges and pomegranate seeds. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Mix well.  Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve, share and enjoy!

    Notes

    If you notice extra liquid at the bottom, allow the rice to rest for 10 minutes with the lid open, and the liquid should evaporate. If not, turn on ‘Sauté’ mode and heat for a couple of minutes. 
    COOKING TIME
    The cooking time to make wild rice is roughly 25 – 30 minutes. It largely depends upon your texture preference. I usually cook it for 25 minutes which I find to be just right. The grains have a little chewy bite to them , which I like. If you’d like the rice to be cooked softer, add another 2 – 5 minutes of cooking time.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 273kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 6gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 16gFiber: 5gSugar: 13g
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @ProfusionCurry or tag #ProfusionCurry!

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    Filed Under: Gluten Free, Instant Pot, Salads, Seasonal and Holiday Recipes, Vegan Recipes

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    Comments

    1. Carolyn Carroll

      November 25, 2020 at 10:03 pm

      This is absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing. I live in Southern CA and have many of these fruit trees growing on my property. I’m going to try it with my Fuyu Persimmons.
      What a great combination you’ve created.

      Reply
      • admin

        November 26, 2020 at 12:08 pm

        Thank you. I can imagine how marvelous home grown fresh persimmons will taste in this combo ! Enjoy

        Reply

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