Wild Rice Salad with Orange and Pomegranate
In the fall and winter months, I always find myself craving this Wild Rice Salad recipe. It’s festive, colorful and bursting with some of the season’s best ingredients. It’s naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, and it’s versatile enough to serve for the holidays, as a main dish, side dish or meal prep lunch!
**This post was originally published in October 2014. The photos and recipe have been updated, step by step photos have been added, and the post has been modified to include more recipe information.
I grew up eating rice several times a week, so it always feels like home to me. Most of the time my mom served a side of white or brown rice with dinner, and my Grandma’s almond rice pilaf was part of every holiday and special occasion.
I discovered wild rice later in life, and fell in love with it immediately. It’s got a hearty, chewy texture that makes it completely addictive, and the nutty flavor and deep color make it even more special.
It makes my crockpot chicken and rice and turkey wild rice soup extra comforting and delicious, and they truly wouldn’t be the same without it.
This Wild Rice Salad is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it. It’s full of texture, color and is truly fall in a bowl!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- The wild rice has a chewy, nutty texture and deep flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet and savory ingredients!
- Wild rice salad is a versatile dish that makes a great vegetarian main dish, side dish or lunch.
- This is a great make ahead recipe that’s perfect for meal prep!
- It’s naturally gluten-free, vegetarian and may easily be made vegan or dairy-free by omitting the feta cheese.
Recipe ingredients
What I love the most about this recipe is that it can be changed up with your favorite seasonal ingredients, dressing, or simply by utilizing what you have on hand.
Ingredient notes
- Wild rice. I love using a wild rice blend, but any variety will do!
- Fruit, veggies and herbs. I love pairing orange and pomegranate together for color and flavor, along with savory green onion and parsley for freshness. Change things up by using ingredients such as apple, pear, persimmon, dried cranberries, fresh chives and your favorite herbs.
- Feta cheese. Sub the feta cheese with goat cheese or shaved manchego or parmesan. Omit the cheese altogether to make this wild rice salad recipe vegan and dairy-free.
- Pecans. The pecans may be swapped out with your favorite nuts or seeds.
- Dressing. My tangy apple cider vinegar dressing makes the flavors in this wild rice salad shine. It would also work with my balsamic vinaigrette dressing or your favorite store bought variety.
How to make this recipe
This recipe is super easy to make. The rice takes about 40 minutes to cook, so you have plenty of time to prep the dressing and the other ingredients while it’s on the stove top.
Pro tip: The entire dish may be prepped in advance, but it’s important to note that the rice will become a bit dry as it will absorb the dressing over time. Simply toss with extra dressing and enjoy!
- Place the cooked wild rice, orange segments, pomegranate, feta cheese, pecans and parsley in a large bowl.
- Add enough apple cider vinegar dressing to coat the ingredients (you may not need it all) and toss well.
Serving suggestions
Besides the fact that it tastes amazing, the glory of this recipe is it’s versatility. There are countless ways to serve it as shown below.
- This dish makes a great vegetarian main dish served as-is or with some chickpeas or lentils for added protein.
- Serve as a side dish with spatchcock chicken or oven baked pork chops.
- Wild rice salad makes a great holiday side dish with roasted turkey breast or slow cooker ham.
- Make it in advance for a hearty, satisfying meal prep lunch. It’s great with or without instant pot shredded chicken!
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: The entire dish may be prepped in advance, but it’s important to note that the rice will become a bit dry as it will absorb the dressing over time. Simply toss with extra dressing and enjoy!
- Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Use pre-toasted pecans to save time.
- Nutrition information does not include the dressing as that has been calculated in a separate post.
- Omit the cheese to make this wild rice salad recipe vegan!
More rice recipes you’ll love!
- Cilantro lime rice
- Chickpea casserole
- Coconut rice
- Instant pot chicken and rice
- Mexican rice casserole
- Wild Rice Casserole by Taste of Home
If you try this recipe I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and rating below and tag me at @flavorthemoments on Instagram!
Wild Rice Salad with Orange and Pomegranate
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice blend cooked according to package instructions and set aside to cool slightly
- 1 large orange segmented (cut segments in half if desired)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1 large green onion white and green parts, sliced thinly on the bias
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans halved or coarsley chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Apple cider vineger dressing
Instructions
- Place the cooked wild rice, orange segments, pomegranate, feta cheese, pecans and parsley in a large bowl.
- Add enough apple cider vinegar dressing to coat the ingredients (you may not need it all) and toss well. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: The entire dish may be prepped in advance, but it’s important to note that the rice will become a bit dry as it will absorb the dressing over time. Simply toss with extra dressing and enjoy!
- Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Use pre-toasted pecans to save time.
- Nutrition information does not include the dressing as that has been calculated in a separate post.
- Omit the cheese to make this wild rice salad recipe vegan!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
58 Comments on “Wild Rice Salad with Orange and Pomegranate”
I am so jealous that it’s in the 90s by you, Marcie! I live in Chicago, and it was in the 40s yesterday, so crazy! I need my cool, not cold, fall weather back! 🙂 This wild rice salad looks like the perfect dish to ring in the hot weather for you, or the cold weather for me! I love using rice in salads, and this one looks like a winner. And that maple vinaigrette is so perfect for the fall! Pinned!
Ok those pumpkins are ridiculously cute!! Wouldn’t they be a great plate starter for thanksgiving? Love your maple syrup addiction because I have one too! Just had to stop myself from buying too much this weekend in Canada! This salad is fall perfect.
Those pumpkins would be great as a plate starter for Thanksgiving! They’re so festive and they taste really good too roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper, and you guessed it — maple syrup! Maple syrup in Canada must be the best — one day I will go and get some!
Love everything about this salad! Sorry you are stuck in 90 degree weather. That sounds awful. I lived in California for 4 years and that was something that always made me crazy. It should be cool in October! Ahhhh! Hope you guys get a cool down soon.
Thank you, Liz! We are expecting a slight cool down, but I will take 80s over 90s any day. I’m tired of running the A/C!
Ooh hope you get to experience some fall-like weather soon, Marcie! It was in the forties here recently and while I love it, I realized I seriously need to update my winter wardrobe. I haven’t had to think about cold weather clothes living in San Diego the past few years! This wild rice salad looks like a fab fall side dish, and so satisfying too. That maple vinaigrette! 🙂
Yeah, San Diego doesn’t get much cool weather! I think it will be a bit more fall-like — at least the mornings and evenings will be, and that’s a start.
DROOLING. I love hazelnuts. and maple syrup. and feta. and green onions. This list might get long. I also just realized that even though I loooove wild rice, I’ve never made it at home. What?! This recipe is on its way to becoming lunch sometime this week!
I made my dish last year and never made it at home. What’s wrong with me? It never left my mind, and I finally got around to it! Wild rice is so much more interesting and it needs more love.
What a gorgeous looking salad Marcie! It does scream fall 🙂 I can hear it. Hahaha! We’ve had record warm temperatures too – it hardly feels like fall!
Thank you, Kristi! Even Seattle is staying warm, huh? That’s rare! We are expecting a cool down this week, thank goodness! Hope you get your fall weather soon.
love this salad!!! and yes, love the colors .. put roasted butternut squash in anything and I am sold! Seriously love this wild rice blend and love the feta and hazelnuts . . can’t wait to try this one! delicious!!
Thank you, Alice! I will eat anything with butternut squash too — you just can’t go wrong! And I have no idea why I haven’t made wild rice more…that’s definitely changing!
Hope the weather cools down a bit for you soon Marcie. This wild rice salad looks incredible! I love everything in here from the butternut squash to the toasted hazelnuts! Such a gorgeous fall salad and feel free to keep adding maple syrup to everything cuz I can never get enough too 🙂
Thank you, Kelly, and I’m glad to hear you’re obsessed with maple syrup, too because I just can’t stop!
What a beautiful salad! Love the maple vinaigrette!
Thank you, Jessica!
I am loving the sound of that dressing, and the salad looks SO good. I love winter salads.
Thank you, Danii, and I’m with you — winter salads are some of the best!
You have me craving a big bowl of wild rice right now! This is totally in the works for dinner this week.
This salad is addicting and I need more! I sure hope you get to try it!
This is great! It’s like fall harvest all in one dish! Beautiful!
Thank you, Chris! If the weather isn’t going to me put me in the fall mood, this salad will!
Beautiful salad! and stunning pictures! Pinned 🙂
Thank you, Manali!
I love your bowl! I’ve never had wild rice, but I really want to try it. This looks great 🙂
Thank you, Medha, and I hope you get to try wild rice!
Wow in the 90’s?! We went to the game yesterday and it was so cold I thought I would freeze to death. Lucky 🙂 Marcie would this keep well in the fridge if I made a batch on Sunday and spread it though out the week for lunches?
I’d rather have the heat over bitter cold, but there has to be a happy medium! I ate some the next day and it was in great shape, and I think it would definitely keep in the fridge for lunches. You’ll have dressing leftover, so you can add more if need be. I’m making double next time!
The little pumpkins taste so good, too! I made soup out of them last year. This is healthy, and I see a lot more wild rice in my future!
I figure there has to be a happy medium weather-wise! I’m so excited for fall weather.
This looks great! I have a go-to wild rice salad, but I love this fall harvest version with the roasted butternut squash and those hazelnuts! And maple vinaigrette sounds just perfect. Enjoy the warmth while you’ve got it! I’m in Sweden and we are plunging right into winter.
Thank you, Katie! I know I should enjoy the warmth, but we do really need rain here in CA. Perhaps it’s the calm before the storm! 🙂
Totally loving this salad, Marcie! Now I’m wishing I’d thought to add a maple dressing to mine—sounds fantastic!
Thank you, Sarah, and I’m sure yours is not lacking anything! Can’t wait to check it out. 🙂
This is just beautiful!! We have wild rice a lot but I hardly ever think to turn it into a salad! This is like the ultimate fall side dish!
Thank you, Annie! This looks and tastes like fall in a bowl. I really need to make wild rice more often! 🙂
Maple vinaigrette??? Now this I have to try Marcie!
I swear, I’m putting maple syrup in everything these days! 🙂
I am so sorry that your weather is too hot to enjoy yummy fall comfort food. I am happy that Chicago weather has finally cooled down!! This rice looks fantasitic with the butternut squash! I am in love with that photo of it all being served in the gorgeous pumpkins!!
I’m doing my best to enjoy it, and luckily it’s cooled down slightly today. I better make some soup! haha Thank you, Renee! 🙂
This looks so good! It sure uses all the “harvest vegetables!” We made something really similar for dinner tonight and it was soo good! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 Happy Fall!
Thanks, Kloe! Wild rice is so pretty all on its own! 🙂
I love this recipe Marcie – wild rice is a staple here in MN and I’m always looking for ways to use it – pinned!
I need to use it more — it’s so versatile and it’s darn pretty, too! Thanks for the pin, and have a great day! 🙂
This wild rice salad looks absolutely perfect for my dinner tonight – good thing I have all the ingredients on hand! Thanks for the recipe and idea Marcie!
This salad was so nice as a side or a meal! Thanks for stopping by, Thalia! 🙂
I saw these on Food Gawker and they’re gorgeous and look SOOOO delicious! I can’t wait to try them!
Thank you so much, Erin! It was so tasty I can’t wait to make it again. 🙂
What a delicious looking salad Marcie! It does scream Fall, which we definitely have here in Iowa. It’s actually quite cold for early October. Mother Nature must still be on her rampage, lol
Mother Nature has certainly been on you guys with the cold, and we here in CA get no rain! What’s the deal? I will continue to make and eat fall food whether it feels like it or not! 🙂
I’m definitely pinning this one to make sometime soon. I love the combo of rice and squash, and of course, dried cranberries and goat cheese are a must on salads. But the show stopper is that vinaigrette. Love homemade and I’m always on the look out for new ones to try!
We definitely have the same taste don’t we? 🙂 Thanks Leanne!
This salad is so hearty looking! Your updated pictures have really done it justice 🙂 Can’t wait to make a big batch of this for my weekday lunches!
Thank you so much Katherine! Cleaning up old photos is a mission of mine. 🙂
I had to smile when I saw this post. I just took a harvest wild rice dish to a pot luck dinner. I’ll definitely have to try your version soon.
Great minds think alike! 🙂
works of art.