Wild Rice Salad

Amethyst · November 23, 2025, 3:43pm

Wild Rice Salad

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients:

Wild Rice:
8 cups of water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups wild rice

Roasted Butternut Squash:

5 cups cubed butternut squash, about 1 medium squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½ to ¾-inch cubes
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Remaining Salad Ingredients:

¾ cup walnuts
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 large apple cut into ½-inch chunks
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley

Dressing:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
zest of 1 orange
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt or fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook the rice: Place water and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Put the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse well under cool running water. Once the water is boiling, stir in the rice and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil.

Boil the rice, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, until the rice is tender but still has a bit of a bite to it. (Taste a few grains to check.) Drain rice well in a colander, return to the pot, cover with the lid, and let stand (off the heat) for 10 minutes. Then fluff the rice and let it cool slightly.

Roast the squash: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425° F. Place the cubed butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, turning once halfway through, until tender.

Toast walnuts: Place walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat and toast until fragrant, stirring often. Watch them closely as they can go from toasted to burnt quickly. Let cool slightly, then coarsely chop.

Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients: olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup (or honey), Dijon, salt, and pepper.

Assemble salad: Place cooked wild rice in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and stir to distribute. Add the celery, apple, red onion, and dried cranberries. Stir gently until combined. Add the toasted walnuts, roasted butternut squash, and parsley last and toss gently to combine. Salad can be served at room temperature or chilled.

Notes:

Make Ahead: If you’re making this salad for a holiday meal, you can make it one day ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. I recommend adding the apple right before serving.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Recipe Variations:

Swap pecans for the walnuts. Toast the pecans in a skillet, just as you would walnuts.

Add goat cheese. I actually tested this recipe with goat cheese and preferred the look of the salad without it, but it does add a nice tangy flavor and a bit of creaminess, if you want to give it a try.

Swap the butternut squash for sweet potatoes. See my roasted sweet potatoes recipe for cooking instructions. Or, simplify the recipe by omitting the squash. It will still be full of delicious flavors!

Add arugula or kale. The peppery bite of baby arugula works well in this wild rice salad. Or mix in some kale. I recommend massaging the kale like I do in this Kale Salad recipe.

Nutritonal Facts:

Recipe courtesy of Kristine’s Kitchen.com