This summer wild rice salad without mayo is full of flavor with pops of pomegranate, herbs and a tasty honey garlic dressing. So easy to make with simple ingredients, it's equally delicious as a tasty lunch, or as a side salad for summer picnics, potlucks or BBQs!
Do check out my arugula quinoa salad for another grain salad that's such a tasty side dish!
Summer salads are such a go-to, whether for a light lunch or as a fun dish to take to picnics and potlucks. My nutty wild rice salad, mango cucumber salad and quinoa tabbouleh are all tasty and easy to make!
This summer rice salad recipe is so easy to make, and packed with veggies, fruits and seeds. Pomegranate seeds give a lovely sweetness, and apple and celery a good crunch and a bit of a fall salad vibe.
I think you'll love the versatility of this salad too! Serve as a light lunch, perhaps with some fresh cheese, or as a rice dish for BBQs or evening meals.
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Simple ingredients. We use what I like to think of as fridge and pantry staples to make this easy wild rice salad, with nothing that is tricky to find in stores.
Versatile. Serve as a vegetarian lunch, or as a side dish with BBQ food or as picnic food for summer events.
Easy to make. Other than cooking the rice, all we need to do is a bit of chopping of fruit and veggies!
🥗 Ingredients
Make sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients and their quantities!
The main ingredients you will need for this wild rice salad recipe are:
- Wild rice - a really nice alternative to regular white rice, and has a great nutty taste. In this recipe I use a wild rice mix because it feels a little lighter, but you can also use solely wild rice if you prefer.
- Apple and celery - the crunchy vegetables of the salad. Use fresh produce and dice to as small or large pieces as you like.
- Pomegranate seeds - these give a lovely pop of sweetness.
- Pumpkin seeds - for the best crunch! Make sure to use unflavored seeds that are not salted.
- Olive oil, vinegar, honey and garlic - the pantry staples we use to make the dressing.
🥬 Optional add-ins
Although you can easily serve this summer wild rice salad as it is for lunch or as a side dish, you can always add a few more ingredients to make it more hearty:
- Arugula or lamb's lettuce - to add some leafy greens.
- Fresh cheeses - scatter some torn pieces of mozzarella or, if it works for you, some feta cheese over the salad.
- Grated carrot - to add a touch of sweetness.
- Nuts and seeds - sprinkle over some more pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds or unsalted crushed pistachios.
🔪 Step by step instructions
This summer wild rice salad has four main steps, and all are very easy to do:
Step 1: Cook wild rice
Cook your wild rice (or wild rice mix) according to packet instructions (image 1). Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Dice the fruit and veggies
Dice the apple, celery and green onion into small pieces (image 2).
Recipe tip: Dice the apple just before you add to the salad as it will brown quickly.
Step 3: Make the dressing
Combine extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, salt and black pepper in a small bowl or jar. Whisk or stir to emulsify the dressing (image 3).
Step 4: Make the wild rice salad
Combine the cooked wild rice with the apple, celery, pomegranate, green onion, parsley and pumpkin seeds in a large bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and toss the salad (image 4). Spoon onto your serving plate.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- You can make this solely with wild rice as an alternative, but personally I feel that a wild rice mix is a little lighter for summer.
- If you prefer to keep the recipe vegan, then swap out the honey for a touch of maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Dice the apple just before use as it will brown quickly.
- Adjust quantities or ratios of the fruit and vegetables to taste preference.
📋 Frequently asked questions
As described by Healthline, wild rice isn't actually rice at all, but the seed of an aquatic grass.
Wild rice has a slightly nutty taste, with a chewy texture.
You can either use all wild rice or a wild rice mix. A wild rice mix is a more affordable option.
You can add mozzarella cheese (or feta cheese if it works for you) to the salad, or grilled chicken or turkey. For a vegan option, more nuts and seeds adds protein.
🥬 More healthy salads
Fresh and light, there are so many fun salads to choose from for lunch or to take to a picnic or BBQ, including my cucumber beet salad and my turkey vegetable pasta salad. Some recent recipes to try:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Summer Wild Rice Salad
Ingredients
For the wild rice salad
- ½ cup wild rice or wild rice mix
- 1 small apple cored, diced
- ½ celery stick diced
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
- 1 tablespoon pepitas / pumpkin seeds
- small handful parsley diced
- 1 green onion dice, optional
For the honey dressing
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ garlic clove minced, optional
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- Cook your wild rice according to packet instructions. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a small bowl and whisking together.
- Once the wild rice has cooled, transfer to a bowl and combine with the diced apple, celery, pepitas, pomegranate seeds, green onion (if using) and parsley. Drizzle over the dressing. Then plate up, and enjoy!
Notes
- You can make this solely with wild rice as an alternative, but personally I feel that a wild rice mix is a little lighter for summer (and more affordable).
- Dice the apple just before serving as it can brown quickly.
- If you prefer to keep the recipe vegan, then swap out the honey for a touch of maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- apple cider vinegar, which scores 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2, although the SIGHI list states that small amounts are tolerated.
- green onion, which is not scored on the SIGHI list.
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