Looking for a salad that’s anything but boring? This wild rice salad is a fresh, flavorful twist that’s hearty enough to stand on its own. With the nutty bite of wild rice, sweet crunch from apples, creamy goat cheese, toasted pistachios, and a fragrant hint of basil, every bite hits a perfect balance. Tossed in a zesty red wine vinaigrette with crisp romaine lettuce, it’s a beautiful mix of texture and taste—ideal for lunch, dinner, or your next gathering. So grab a large bowl and all the ingredients and make the best wild rice salad recipe out there!
Ingredients for Wild Rice Salad:
Wild Rice– 1 1/2 cups wild rice, cooked and slightly cooled. Any wild rice blend variety will work in this recipe. You could also experiment with black rice, forbidden rice, or brown rice. It won’t have the same nutty flavor as wild rice, but it will still be tasty nonetheless. You may also use pre-cooked frozen wild rice or the kind that comes in a pouch that you heat in the microwave. I prefer to make the rice from scratch, but when I’m in a hurry, I like the frozen wild rice and grain from Trader Joe’s.
Romaine Lettuce– 1 head of romaine lettuce, washed, shredded, or chopped.
Apple– 1 large apple, diced. Any crisp apple will work in this recipe. I love a Granny Smith apple for its tartness. A Honeycrisp or Fuji apple is sweeter.
Goat Cheese– 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled. If you are not a fan of goat cheese, try crumbled feta cheese instead. It’s a little salty and not as creamy as goat cheese.
Fresh Basil– 1/4 cup basil, chiffonade. Chiffonade means to cut the basil into thin strips. Other fresh herbs to try would be mint or flat-leaf parsley.
Pistachios– 1/2 cup of toasted pistachios. I buy the unshelled pistachios, otherwise, it will take some extra time to individually remove the shells. Instead of pistachios, I think walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds would also be great in this salad.
Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette– 1/2 cup red wine vinaigrette. See below for ingredients.
Dressing Ingredients:
- Red Wine Vinegar- 3 tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar. You can substitute white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar in a pinch for a similar flavor. For a sweeter flavor, try using balsamic vinegar.
- Dijon mustard- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- Honey- 1 teaspoon of honey
- Dried Oregano- 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
- Kosher Salt- 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt
- Black Pepper- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil- 1/3 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
How to Make Wild Rice Salad Step-by-Step
Step 1: Cook the Wild Rice
Start by preparing the wild rice according to the package directions. I recommend using a fine mesh strainer to rinse the rice before you cook it. Add the rinsed rice to the pot per the instructions. You can also use chicken broth instead of water to cook the rice for a richer taste. You’ll need 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice. Once it’s cooked, fluff it with a fork and set it aside to cool slightly or come to room temperature. This helps keep the lettuce crisp later on.
Step 2: Make the Red Wine Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients except the olive oil. Once combined, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking continuously until the dressing is emulsified. Set aside. (Bonus: You can make this up to 3 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge!). I like to double it and make it in a mason jar that way the leftovers can be used another day.
Step 3: Prep the Romaine
While the rice cooks, wash and chop a head of romaine lettuce and place it in a large serving bowl.
Step 4: Dice the Apple
Chop the apple into bite-sized pieces and add it to the bowl. If you’re not serving the salad right away, hold off on this step or toss the apple with a little lemon juice to keep it from browning.
Step 5: Slice the Basil
Chiffonade the basil (a fancy word for slicing into thin ribbons) and add it to the bowl with the lettuce and apples. Here’s how to chiffonade the basil. Stack basil leaves into a small pile. Stems removed. Then roll the leaves into a cigar-like shape. Cut across into thin strips.
Step 6: Add the Rice
Once the wild rice is cooled, toss it into the bowl with the rest of the salad ingredients and give it all a gentle mix.
Step 7: Finish with Goat Cheese, Pistachios & Vinaigrette
Sprinkle in the crumbled goat cheese and pistachios. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top, then toss until everything is evenly coated.
Step 8: Serve & Enjoy!
Plate it up and dig in! This salad is perfect on its own or alongside your favorite protein, like grilled chicken breast or roasted salmon. Add roasted butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, and diced red onion to make it more of a winter salad. Then add it to your Thanksgiving table! This is a hearty salad or side dish, depending on the occasion. It would be great for a summer picnic or potluck dinner. This delicious salad is so yummy, I can’t wait for you to try it.
More Recipes to Try!
Wild Rice Salad Recipe
This vibrant wild rice salad features crisp romaine, juicy apples, creamy goat cheese, fresh basil, crunchy pistachios, and a tangy red wine vinaigrette—perfect as a wholesome side or light lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups wild rice, cooked and slightly cooled
- 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded or chopped
- 1 large apple, diced
- 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup basil, chiffonade (cut into thin strips)
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1/2 cup red wine vinaigrette
Ingredients for vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3-1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Prepare rice according to package directions—fluff rice with a fork and set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the red wine vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients up to olive oil and whisk together until combined. Next, while whisking, add Extra Virgin Olive oil until fully combined. Set aside until ready to toss salad. This can be made in advance up to 3 days.
- While the rice is cooking, prep the ingredients. Begin by shredding or chopping romaine lettuce and putting it in a large bowl.
- Dice the apple and add it to the bowl. If you are not eating the salad immediately, wait to dice the apple; otherwise, it will turn brown. You can also squeeze lemon juice over the chopped apple to help prevent it from turning brown.
- Cut the basil into thin strips. This is called chiffonade. Add to the bowl with lettuce.
- Once the rice has cooled, add it to the bowl. Toss the ingredients together.
- Add the goat cheese and pistachios, and drizzle vinaigrette over the top. Toss so the dressing is evenly distributed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute pre-made rice for convenience.
- If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, substitute crumbled feta cheese.
- Instead of pistachios, try walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 721Total Fat: 64gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 50gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 671mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 4gSugar: 12gProtein: 10g
I have included an estimation of the nutrition information for this recipe. However always remember a recipe is so much more than just nutritional content and these numbers do not need to dictate your food choices. Please don’t forget that both your body and soul need nourishment! The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.
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