This nourishing wild rice harvest salad is the perfect holiday dish. It’s full of hearty ingredients like a wild rice blend, roasted butternut squash, roasted brussels sprouts and sliced almonds. Everything gets tossed together in a simple maple dijon vinaigrette for a sweet & tangy dish.
This dish is a must have at your Thanksgiving table, but can also be meal prepped for a weekday side dish. I love serving it with crumbled feta cheese for busy work day lunches.
The wild rice is made with a blend of black, red, brown and white rice. It has a nutty flavor, and adds the perfect heartiness to this dish. It’s a good source of B vitamins, and adds a little extra fiber and protein to this recipe.
The wild rice acts as the perfect base to this salad, and is a nutrient-dense whole-grain to add into your meal prep rotation. I love the added texture it provides to the dish.
What you’ll need to make this Wild Rice Harvest Salad
- Wild rice– I prefer using a wild rice blend since its made of a mix of brown, black and red rice
- Butternut squash– I prefer to buy pre-cubed butternut squash to save some prep time
- Brussels sprouts
- Shallots
- Shredded kale
- Pomegranate seeds– for a little tartness and sweetness
- Sliced almonds
- Homemade maple dijon vinaigrette
- Roast the brussels sprouts, butternut squash and shallots in a 400 F degree oven
- In the meantime, prepare the rice as instructed on the package
- Combine your dressing ingredients together in a jar or small bowl
- Assemble your ingredients when ready to serve
This recipe has so many vibrant colors and textures, it’s truly the perfect thanksgiving or holiday side dish. Leftovers stay good in the fridge for 4-5 days, so you can enjoy them all week long with your favorite protein.
Customize your salad
You can easily customize this salad to your liking by swapping your favorite nuts or dried fruit, and adding feta or goat cheese for some extra savory flavor.
- Use pecans or walnuts in place of almonds
- Add in dried cranberries or chopped apples in place of the pomegranate seeds
- Crumble your favorite cheese when serving
The salad is truly perfect for this season, or any time of the year. It’s easy to make, gets better the longer it sits, and can be customized if needed. Seriously, you can’t go wrong.
Other fall recipes you’ll love:
Fall Harvest Kale Salad with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Maple Pecan and Walnut Crusted Salmon
Farro and Beet Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
Wild Rice Harvest Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
- 16 -20 oz cubed butternut squash (3-4 cups)
- 3 shallots, sliced into quarters
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 2 cups finely shredded kale
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Salt & pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F
- Add the cubed butternut squash, brussels sprouts and shallots to a large sheet-pan.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil. Season everything with salt. Season the butternut squash with the cinnamon, and season the shallots and brussels sprouts with a sprinkle of black pepper.
- Bake the veggies for 30 minutes. Toss them after 30 minutes and finish baking for another 15-20 minutes.
- While the veggies cook, prepare your rice as instructed on the package.
- Prepare your dressing by whisking together the olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic and a pinch of salt & pepper until smooth.
- Once the veggies and rice are ready, assemble everything in a large salad bowl or shallow serving platter with the pomegranate seeds, shredded kale and almonds.
- Toss with the dressing when ready to serve. I like to start with half the dressing and add more as needed. This salad is best served at room temperature.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. I suggest serving leftovers cold or at room temp
Soooo good. I could eat this everyday!