This Wild Rice Salad with Feta and Grilled Vegetables is perfect for summer! Make a batch of California-grown wild rice to enjoy in other recipes throughout the week, and put this wild rice salad recipe in your regular rotation!
Disclosure: This recipe was created in partnership with the USA Rice Federation. I was compensated for my time. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Street Smart Nutrition!
I’m back with another delicious rice recipe with the USA Rice Federation! We’ve had a lot of fun creating recipes together, including favorites like Caprese-Style Chicken and Rice Bake, Elotes-Inspired Mexican Street Corn & Rice Bowls, and Smoky Chipotle Meatballs with Cilantro-Lime Rice. Here’s another option for summer: Wild Rice Salad with Feta and Grilled Vegetables! It uses California-grown wild rice, which is a fun change from the other varieties I’ve featured in the past!
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m a big fan of salads that don’t suck. In fact, I’ve turned it into a hashtag for social media posts sharing amazing salads (#saladsthatdontsuck). And you can snag a free copy of my e-book with the same title for all the Street Smart Nutrition recipes in one place!
But before we get into this wild rice salad recipe, let’s take a closer look at the star ingredient.
Fast Facts About Wild Rice
Wild rice is technically not a rice, but a semi-aquatic grass native to North America. It was harvested by hand by Indigenous peoples for generations in the area around the Great Lakes. Now, the biggest growing regions for cultivated U.S.-grown wild rice is Minnesota and California.
Like all other types of rice, wild rice is naturally gluten-free. It’s high in protein and a good source of fiber. Wild rice is also rich in thiamin, lysine, riboflavin, and iron. And it’s a delicious complex carbohydrate that can provide the energy needed to fuel all your summertime activities!
How to Cook Wild Rice
Cooked wild rice has a nutty flavor, chewy texture, and a beautiful blend of colors as the cream-colored interior is revealed after cooking. It’s ideal for stuffing, salads, and soups, or adding color and texture to baked breads or even desserts! And don’t be intimidated by the longer cooking time. You’re probably already familiar with the two easiest (in my opinion) cooking methods.
Before using either method, rinse the wild rice in a fine mesh strainer for 1-2 minutes. And while some cooking methods ask you to soak the uncooked wild rice overnight, I skip that step. It might help shorten your cooking time, so if you want to use that method, just be sure to drain and add new water before cooking.
- Rice Cooker: Use a 2:1 ratio of water to wild rice if cooking in a rice cooker. You can also use broth or stock, or season the rice prior to cooking. Shut the lid and use the settings to adjust. My rice maker automatically ends the cooking cycle when all liquid is absorbed, so adjust accordingly for the appliance you have! Once finished, open the lid to carefully release the steam and fluff with a fork before serving. Total Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes
- Stovetop: Increase the ratio to 3:1 or even 4:1 if cooking wild rice on the stovetop. Use a small pot or saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Bring the water to a boil, add the wild rice, then reduce to a simmer. Place the lid on top and allow to cook until the grains burst open and become tender. Remove from heat and strain any remaining liquid, or if little remains, allow to steam for 5 minutes to absorb any remaining liquid. Total Cooking Time: 45-50 minutes
No matter which cooking method you use, remember wild rice will expand while cooking. This will increase the total volume, so please note that this recipe calls for more rice than you’ll actually need for the wild rice salad recipe. I find it easier to cook in larger batches, especially since it’s a longer cooking time. I figure I might as well! Then I can use the leftovers in other dishes throughout the week without turning on my rice cooker or stove again.
Street Smart Nutrition Tip: If you end up with a surplus of cooked wild rice, you can freeze it. Just spread in a thin layer in a freezer bag, remove excess air, and store in the freezer up to three months. This is particularly helpful during the colder months when you’re making soups, casseroles, or other hearty dishes.
Wild Rice Salad with Feta and Grilled Vegetables
You can serve this wild rice summer salad as a family-style side dish, or put in your meal prep rotation. There are so many easy ways to customize it, so feel free to take the recipe and make it your own! Here are a few swaps or substitutions you can try:
- Add grilled portobello mushrooms or slices of grilled red onions
- Have you ever tried grilling romaine lettuce? It can be another way to get even more delicious charred flavor in your salad bad
- Top it with a grilled protein, like shrimp skewers, grilled salmon or chicken, a bone-in pork chop, or thinly sliced grilled steaks
- Serve it with a slice of grilled bread (like I did) or swap for crescent rolls, pita, or naan. The goal is to just have something to help push it around and get it on your fork so you can enjoy every bite!
Here’s the recipe for my Wild Rice Salad with Feta and Grilled Vegetables!
Wild Rice Salad with Feta and Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients
Wild Rice Salad with Feta and Grilled Vegetables
- 4 oz California-grown wild rice, uncooked
- 4 cups arugula, or other salad greens
- 2 ears sweet corn, shucked
- 12 mini bell peppers, assorted colors
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 medium yellow summer squash
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Sweet Basil Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp basil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch black pepper, coarsely ground
Instructions
For the Sweet Basil Vinaigrette
- Combine the olive oil, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small measuring cup, bowl, or jar. Take the fresh basil leaves and finely chop, then stir into the vinaigrette mixture. Set aside until ready to serve.
For the Wild Rice Salad
- Start with the wild rice as it has the longest cooking time. Rinse the uncooked wild rice in a fine mesh strainer for 1-2 minutes, then add to your rice cooker or pot. Add water in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio (depending on your cooking method and volume). Rice cooker method will cook 45-60 minutes, stovetop cooking (simmering, covered) will cook 45-50 minutes.
- When rice is tender and split at the seams, revealing the inside of the grains, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. If needed, gently strain extra liquid before serving.
- As the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables. To quick cook the sweet corn, shuck the ears of corn. Wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave on high heat for two minutes. Continue with grilling over high heat until char marks appear, then carefully cut the kernels from the cob.
- Slice the squash, zucchini, and bell peppers to your desired width and shape. Season lightly with preferred spice mix if desired, then grill on both sides. Rotate 1/4 turn halfway through cooking on each side for additional grill marks.
- To assemble and serve, layer the arugula or salad greens onto a serving tray (for family-style) or salad bowls or plates. Top with the grilled vegetables, fresh blueberries, feta cheese, and wild rice. Drizzle the Sweet Basil Vinaigrette over the top and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
I hope you’ll enjoy this wild rice salad recipe as much as we do. Happy grilling and stay cool, wherever you are!
