Wild Rice Harvest Salad (Print Version)

Autumn salad featuring wild rice, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, fresh herbs, and a tangy vinaigrette.

# Components:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked wild rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Fruits & Nuts

04 - 2/3 cup dried cranberries
05 - 2/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped and toasted
06 - 1 small apple, diced (optional)

→ Fresh Produce & Herbs

07 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

→ Vinaigrette

11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Rinse the wild rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine wild rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes until tender and some grains have burst. Drain any excess water and let cool slightly.
02 - While the rice cooks, toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup or honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Add the cooked wild rice, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, diced apple (if using), green onions, parsley, chives, and thyme to the vinaigrette. Toss gently until evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Wild rice has this wonderful chewiness and depth that makes you feel like you're eating something substantial and real.
  • It comes together in just over an hour and tastes even better the next day, which means less stress when you're planning dinner.
  • The sweet cranberries and toasted pecans create little flavor surprises with every bite, so it never feels boring.
02 -
  • Wild rice needs to actually burst and soften—if it still feels hard or too chewy after 45 minutes, give it another 5; undercooked wild rice will ruin the whole salad.
  • Don't dress the salad more than a few hours ahead if you're worried about it being soggy; the vinaigrette softens the rice slightly, which is good, but too much sitting time makes it mushy.
03 -
  • Always taste the wild rice a minute or two before the timer goes off; it's the only way to know if you need more time, and those last couple minutes make a real difference.
  • Toasting pecans in a dry pan is faster and simpler than using oil, and the flavor is purer and more authentic.
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