Wild Rice Cranberry Salad
A vibrant salad of nutty wild rice, tart cranberries, and toasted pine nuts tossed in a zesty orange-mustard vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pine nuts 70g
- 1/2 cup olive oil 120 ml
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 60 ml
- 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 30 ml
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 22 ml
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups cooked wild rice cooled, about 900g
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries 55g
- 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves finely chopped
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until they are fragrant and light golden brown. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool.
- In a large bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Add the cooled cooked wild rice, toasted pine nuts, dried cranberries, chopped mint, and sliced green onions to the bowl with the dressing.
- Toss gently with a large spoon until all the ingredients are evenly coated in the vinaigrette.
- Taste the salad and add more salt or pepper if you like. You can serve it right away or chill it for later.
Notes
This salad can be made up to a day in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors will meld together over time.
For the best flavor, let the salad sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving if it has been chilled.
If you are cooking the wild rice from scratch for this recipe, be sure to let it cool completely before adding it to the salad.