Description

This vibrant Wild Rice Salad combines nutty wild rice with fresh baby rocket, juicy pomegranate seeds, creamy feta cheese, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and a zesty homemade dressing. Perfect as a light meal or a colorful side, this salad balances sweet, savory, and tangy flavors with crunchy textures. It’s easy to prepare and great for healthy eating.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

150g (5oz / 1 cup) wild rice, uncooked
120g (4oz) baby rocket / arugula, roughly chopped (about 2 giant handfuls)
1 pomegranate, seeds only
100g (3.5oz) feta cheese, preferably soft Danish, crumbled
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup roughly chopped toasted pecans
1 cup green onions, sliced (or alternatively chopped red onion)

Dressing

2 tbsp white wine vinegar (or cider vinegar or other clear vinegar)
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Cook the Wild Rice: Boil 1 litre (1 quart) or more of water in a large saucepan. Add the wild rice, reduce the heat so it simmers gently, cover, and cook for 40 minutes or until the rice is tender but still slightly firm, with some grains bursting.
Drain and Cool: Drain the cooked rice well, then leave it to steam dry and cool completely.
Prepare the Dressing: Combine white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a jar. Shake well and set aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, mix the baby rocket, cooled wild rice, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and green onions. Add some of the crumbled feta and pomegranate seeds.
Toss with Dressing: Pour most of the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to combine.
Serve: Transfer the salad into a serving bowl, topping it with the remaining feta cheese and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately for best freshness and texture.

Notes

Note 1: Wild rice is a whole grain with a nutty flavor and chewy texture that adds a great contrast in salads.
Note 2: To easily remove pomegranate seeds, score the fruit and submerge in water to separate the arils from the membrane.
Note 3: Using soft Danish feta gives a creamy texture and balances the tartness of pomegranate.
Note 4: Cooking time for wild rice can vary, so test for tenderness but avoid overcooking to prevent mushiness.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: wild rice salad, pomegranate salad, healthy salad, vegetarian salad, arugula salad, feta cheese salad, nutty salad, cranberry salad