This wild rice salad recipe is a cold or warm salad with roasted vegetables dressed in a cranberry vinaigrette. Hearty and filling, this lettuce-free salad is comfort food salad style.
I love roasted vegetables, and what better to pair them with than wild rice for a wild rice salad recipe? Served hot or cold, wild rice salad is savory yet filling. And then, I chose a fresh cranberry vinaigrette for this wild rice salad recipe. So, mix is up and have a lettuce-free salad for a change.
Jump to:
- Wild Rice Salad Ingredients
- Wild Rice Salad Ingredient Substitutions
- How to Roast Vegetables Without Oil
- The Benefits of Eating Wild Rice
- Wild Rice Salad Dressing Ingredients
- Wild Rice Salad Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
- How to Make Wild Rice Salad Recipe
- Recipe FAQs
- Tips
- Vegan Salad Recipes for the Whole Family
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Whenever people think about salad, they assume all salads are lettuce based. But, what there was a way to skip the lettuce yet get more vegetables? Oh, the possibilities.
Since I happened to have extra cranberries I froze from the holidays, I paired my lettuce-free salad with a tangy cranberry vinaigrette.
Instead, choose from the oil-free dressing options that work well with this wild rice salad recipe.
Wild Rice Salad Ingredients
Of course, the highlight of this wild rice salad recipe is the roasted vegetables. Did I say I love roasted vegetables? Although you should always choose your favorites, my favorite vegetable combination is always the same:
- Wild Rice: Wild rice is not an actual rice but a grass species. Cooked wild rice has about 30 percent fewer calories than brown rice and 40 percent more protein. It also contains more fiber, potassium, and zinc.
- Brussels Sprouts: Eating a lot of Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous veggies may help protect against cancers of the stomach, lungs, kidney, breast, bladder, and prostate. Crunchy veggies like Brussels sprouts may also help you stave off other health issues, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.
- Carrots: Carrots are full of benefits—they may promote healthy vision, balance your blood sugar, help with weight management, lower your risk of cancer, regulate blood pressure, reduce heart disease, improve immunity, and boost brain health.
- Broccoli: Broccoli contains many vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Broccoli's benefits include helping reduce inflammation, stabilizing blood sugar, and strengthening the immune system.
- Cauliflower: It's high in vitamins C and K and is also a good source of folate, which supports cell growth and is essential during pregnancy. Cauliflower is fat-free and cholesterol-free. And it's low in sodium. A one-cup serving contains only 25 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of dietary fiber.
- Onions: Onions are high in vitamin C, which may help regulate your immune health, collagen production, and iron absorption. It's also a powerful antioxidant that could help protect your cells from unstable, damaging molecules called free radicals.
- Mushrooms: Mushrooms are a rich, low-calorie source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants. They may also help to lessen the risk of developing serious health conditions, such as Alzheimer's, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
- Zucchini: Mushrooms are a rich, low-calorie source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants. They may also help to lessen the risk of developing serious health conditions, such as Alzheimer's, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
- Garlic Powder: Unlike the dominating flavor of fresh garlic, garlic powder is more the adds a subtle fullness of flavor that may be more difficult to detect than with fresh, but makes the meal taste better,
- Onion Powder: Onion powder has a flavor that is milder than fresh onions but highly flavorful in a richer and more concentrated way. It tastes both sweet and mellow, with a spicy edge.
- Herb de Provence Seasoning: Traditionally, the herbs de Provence blend includes thyme, oregano, summer savory, and rosemary.
- Pepper: Black pepper adds depth of flavor to the salad.
Wild Rice Salad Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose other vegetable combinations using tomatoes, red bell peppers (or bell pepper of choice), parsnips, butternut squash, or cabbage.
- Use brown rice instead of wild rice.
- Try your favorite seasoning combinations.
How to Roast Vegetables Without Oil
Contrary to popular belief, roasted vegetables don't need oil to roast perfectly. In fact, I think they taste better without oil. First, always cut the vegetables approximately the same size when roasting, so they roast evenly.
Then, using parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking. Next, consider the seasoning for the roasted vegetables.
For instance, I prefer these seasonings and herbs when roasting vegetables:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Herb de Provence Seasoning
- Italian Seasoning Blend
- Pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Parsley
- Sage
Another suggestion is to get the vegetables wet (by washing an additional time) and leave them somewhat wet before adding the seasoning. As a result, the seasoning sticks to the vegetables without any oil.
The Benefits of Eating Wild Rice
Did you know wild rice is actually a species of grass that produces edible seeds resembling rice? So, most wild rice is actually combined with other rice called a wild rice blend.
According to Healthline, a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked wild rice provides :
- Calories: 101
- Carbs: 21 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Vitamin B6: 7% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Folate: 6% of the DV
- Magnesium: 8% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 8% of the DV
- Zinc: 9% of the DV
- Copper: 6% of the DV
- Manganese: 14% of the DV
With 101 calories, 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of cooked wild rice provides slightly fewer calories than the same serving of brown or white rice, which offers 112 and 130 calories, respectively.
Wild Rice Salad Dressing Ingredients
Since I had leftover frozen fresh cranberries from Christmas, I made a cranberry vinaigrette for this wild rice salad. Fresh cranberries are not always available year-round, but I will eat this roasted vegetable and wild rice salad all year.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar has a sweet, fruity flavor, while red wine vinegar has a sour, acidic taste.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is a natural way to sweeten dressing.
- Water: Water is used as an emulsifier instead of oil.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard gives the dressing deep flavor.
- Fresh Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries give the dressing a rich fruitiness.
- Garlic: I prefer using fresh garlic whenever possible.
- Salt and Pepper to Taste: Add salt and pepper to taste.
Wild Rice Salad Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
If cranberries aren't available, these oil-free dressing options taste delicious on this lettuce-free salad.
- Lemon Basil Dressing
- Maple Dijon Dressing
- Almond Butter Dressing
- Carrot Ginger Dressing
- Italian Dressing
How to Make Wild Rice Salad Recipe
- Combine 2 cups of wild rice blend with 2 cups of water and 1 ½ cups of vegetable broth in a pot and boil.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove from heat (keep covered) and steam for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and serve.
- While the rice cooks, roast the vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Wash and cut the vegetables in similar sizes, leaving the vegetables wet
- Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with the seasonings
- Cook for 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside.
- If eating the salad hot, do not refrigerate; if eating the salad cold, place the dressing in the refrigerator to chill.
- Serving the salad (hot or cold)
- Place a serving of rice into the base of the bowl.
- Add mixed roasted vegetables.
- Dress the salad and serve
- If eating cold, place all ingredients separately in the refrigerator and allow them to cool. Serve the same way. Do not dress the salad and toss together before serving if eating cold.
- Another great idea is to add some grilled tofu to the wild rice salad. Although this is just an option, it adds protein and tastes fabulous!
- To pair the tofu with the wild rice salad, I marinated my tofu in the same cranberry vinaigrette dressing overnight and made grilled tofu.
Recipe FAQs
Wild rice is an excellent nutritious option. It has a more pungent taste than white and brown rice and a chewy yet tender texture. In addition to using it as a base for bowls, I love enjoying it as a side dish, throwing some in salads, or adding it to casseroles and soups.
Eating wild rice has been shown to improve heart health in animal studies. Similarly, other studies suggest that eating whole grains like wild rice is linked to a decreased risk of heart disease.
Wild rice is alkaline, which helps maintain a healthy alkaline balance and reduce inflammation. In addition, consuming wild rice decreases fatigue by providing essential nutrients to the body, and it's high in magnesium, which helps you feel more energized.
Tips
- The best temperature for roasting vegetables is 400 degrees F. If you have a convection oven, use the bake setting and reduce it to 375 degrees F.
- Refrain from crowding the pan when roasting vegetables.
- Purchasing pre-chopped vegetables from the grocery is a fantastic way to save time.
- Cut the vegetables in similar sizes.
- You can skip the peeling for vegetables like potatoes, eggplant, and carrots (ensure to wash them thoroughly first).
- Chopping veggies in advance can be a huge time-saver. Then, you’ll have pre-chopped vegetables ready all week long.
- Halfway through the baking time, rotate the pan 180 degrees, especially if your oven doesn’t bake evenly and absolutely if you are using convection.
- If you are roasting on two pans, place them in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; switch the top and bottom positions halfway through.
- Use the dressing sparingly; I suggest drizzling. The natural flavors of the roasted vegetables in the seasoning combination are delicious.
Switch it up and make this wild rice salad recipe for a lettuce-free salad option!
Vegan Salad Recipes for the Whole Family
If you love this wild rice salad recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Wild Rice Salad
Ingredients
Wild Rice Blend
- 2 cups dry wild rice blend
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
Roasted Vegetables
- 2 large carrots peeled and cut into equal-sized slices (cut larger pieces in half to match the slices)
- ½ head broccoli cut into florets
- ½ head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 white or yellow onion cut into pieces similar to carrots and cauliflower, and broccoli
- 8 ounces mushrooms cut in half
- 2 cups of Brussels sprouts cut in half
- 1 zucchini cut into slices and then cut in half
- 2 teaspoons Herb de Provence Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Oil-free Cranberry Viniargarette
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh cranberries or ⅛ cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preparing the Wild Rice Blend
- Combine 2 cups of wild rice blend with 2 cups of water and 1 ½ cups vegetable broth in a pot, and bring to a boil.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove from heat (keep covered) and steam for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and serve.
- While the rice cooks, roast the vegetables.
Roasted Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Wash and cut the vegetables in similar sizes, leaving the vegetables wet
- Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with the seasonings
- Cook for 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside.
Cranberry Vinaigrette
- Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend on a high-speed blender until smooth.
- If eating the salad hot, do not refrigerate; if eating the salad cold, place the dressing in the refrigerator to chill.
- Serving the salad (hot or cold)
- Place a serving of rice into the base of the bowl.
- Add mixed roasted vegetables.
- Dress the salad and serve
- Add grilled tofu (optional)
- If eating cold, place all ingredients separately in the refrigerator and allow them to cool. Serve the same way. Do not dress the salad and toss together before serving if eating cold.
Notes
- The best temperature for roasting vegetables is 400 degrees F. If you have a convection oven, use the bake setting and reduce it to 375 degrees F.
- Refrain from crowding the pan when roasting vegetables.
- Purchasing pre-chopped vegetables from the grocery is a fantastic way to save time.
- Cut the vegetables in similar sizes.
- You can skip the peeling for vegetables like potatoes, eggplant, and carrots (ensure to wash them thoroughly first).
- Chopping veggies in advance can be a huge time-saver. Then, you’ll have pre-chopped vegetables ready all week long.
- Halfway through the baking time, rotate the pan 180 degrees, especially if your oven doesn’t bake evenly and absolutely if you are using convection.
- If you are roasting on two pans, place them in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; switch the top and bottom positions halfway through.
- Use the dressing sparingly; I suggest drizzling. The natural flavors of the roasted vegetables in the seasoning combination are delicious.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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