With arugula, scallions, parsley and chopped pistachios, this simple lemon herb wild rice salad is a salad and side dish in a single recipe.
The moment you put more grains in a salad than greens, it can play two different parts in a meal: side or salad. Take your pick! Truly the perfect salad.
Besides calling it both, you can consider it a two for one deal that gets you out of making another dish. Think of that as the ultimate timesaver.
A kind of grain that I really love in a hearty salad is wild rice. No brand’s mix is ever quite the same. I am always fascinated by the crafted blends of brown rice and wild rice grains. And don’t hesitate to serve it as a main dish salad too.
Wild rice is the foundation of this recipe. I keep it along with so many other grains stocked in my pantry. That’s because they are all a solid starting point for lots of salads and side dishes.
In this recipe, I use the freshness of lemon juice, scallions, parsley, chives and peppery arugula to pair with the earthy wild rice. Then I include some crunch with chopped pistachios.
Naturally grown in fresh shallow water, wild rice is a semi-aquatic grass. That means it’s not actually true rice even though that’s what we call it.
Any wild rice blend is wholesome in appearance and nutrition. If you are wondering, yes, it ticks the box for whole grains, and it is gluten free too. It has a wonderfully chewy texture and nutty flavor. (source)
Since the mix of grains in a certain brand’s wild rice will vary from another’s, always start by reading the cooking instructions on the package.
The typical liquid to rice ratio is 4 to 1. That means you will need to 4 cups of liquid to cook 1 cup of dry rice.
Instead of water, in this recipe I like simmering the grains on the stove in vegetable broth, so they turn out richer and creamier.
This is what you need for this wild rice salad recipe:
For this recipe, I like to add more flavor to the rice. That’s why I start, by sautéing sliced white scallions in olive oil before adding the rice and vegetable broth to the saucepan.
You can make the rice a couple days in advance. Just let it cool to room temperature before you put it into an airtight container to store in the refrigerator.
Depending how cold you prefer to serve the salad, you may want to give the rice a little time to sit out on the counter before you plan to make the dressing and combine it with the other ingredients.
Roasted Beet Wild Rice
Sweet Potato Wild Rice with Red Grapes
Pumpkin Wild Rice Salad
Lentil Wild Rice Soup
Corn Tomato Wild Rice Salad
With arugula, scallions, parsley and chopped pistachios, this simple lemon herb wild rice salad is a salad and side dish in a single recipe.
The rice can be made up to 2 days in advance. Let it cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator. Make the dressing and combine it and the rest of the ingredients with the rice right before serving.
Keywords: wild rice salad, wild rice recipe
A lot of chopping, but worth it. I made it as a side to fish. Great pairing!!
★★★★★
This is a breeze to make and is delicious! It’s vibrant and zippy while being hearty at the same time. Such a lovely dish to enhance any meal. Thank you.
★★★★★