As a proud Minnesotan, I have a serious soft spot for wild rice. I love the chewy, nutty texture. It’s hearty and flavorful but versatile and delicious.

Add some fennel, a handful of toasted pecans, fresh herbs and a light lime dressing and a big bowl of wild rice becomes one of my favorite winter side recipes. This tasty salad can be served as a side dish or over mixed greens with some grilled chicken for a hearty main dish salad.

Like the kale and farro salad from earlier this week, this one actually gets better with time. Make it early in the week and it can be ready at a moments notice to calm a growling stomach or wow at a dinner party.

Wild rice is a bit of a pain to make so skip the stove top and throw it in your rice cooker to make the prep even easier! Wait to stir in the pecans until just before serving to keep them fresh and crunchy.

Wild Rice Salad with Pecans

Print Recipe

This hearty grain salad is nutty, citrusy, fresh and delicious. A great winter weather side dish!

Author: Kristen Olson
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch fresh ground pepper
4 cups cooked wild rice
1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
1/4 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat. Let salad stand for 15 minutes or up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature and stir in the pecans just before serving.

Notes

Make the rice more flavorful by using vegetable or chicken stock in place of water for the cooking liquid.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories: 282
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 27mg
Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 6g
Cholesterol: 0mg

What is your favorite wild rice recipe?

Looking for a few more wild rice recipes? Here ya go…
Wild Rice Bowl with Red Lentil Curry from The Kitchn
Sprouted Wild Rice and Beet Salad from My New Roots
Kale and Wild Rice Casserole from Half Baked Harvest

Or, try this Roasted Red Kuri Squash and Wild Rice Salad from B&H…

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Wild Rice Salad with Pecans