Are you looking for a fresh new salad to add to your repertoire? This delicious and nutritious Wild Rice Salad is loaded with textures, flavours, and vibrant colours! It makes a fantastic light lunch or summery side dish. It’s also a great salad if you’re meal-prepping for the week and want a salad that lasts for days in the fridge.
Wild rice provides the base and adds a great earthy, nutty flavour. It’s full of protein, fibre, and B vitamins. The rice gets combined with black beans for extra plant-based protein. Juicy corn, avocado, bell peppers, and red onion provide sweetness, creaminess, and crunch. Fresh cilantro adds brightness.
The dressing brings it all together. It’s a zesty lime cumin vinaigrette made with olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and honey. The lime and cumin add so much flavour that it’s perfect for a salad like this.
This Wild Rice Salad keeps well in the fridge, so it’s great for meal prepping. The flavours marry and improve over time, too. Try topping it with crumbled feta or cotija cheese for even more texture.
No matter when you enjoy this salad, it’s sure to be a huge hit. Keep reading for the full recipe so you can make it anytime.
Fiesta Wild Rice Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (for cooking the rice)
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Optional: 1/4 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cook the Rice:
- Rinse the wild rice under cold water.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the wild rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45-55 minutes or until the rice is tender and the kernels have burst open. Drain any excess liquid and let cool.
- Prepare the Salad:
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro.
- Make the Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, honey, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Combine and Season:
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Chill and Serve:
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavours to meld.
- Before serving, sprinkle with cotija cheese if using.
Let us know if you try this Wild Rice Salad. We love seeing how our community uses Monarch Wild Rice in their recipes, so feel free to tag us in your culinary creations on social media.