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Wild Rice Salad

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This wild rice salad is packed with sweet potatoes, apples, kale, dried cranberries, and pecans, and drizzled with a maple balsamic dressing.

Wild Rice Salad | The Small Town Foodie

Thanksgiving is just a few days away, and this recipe is perfect for a unique dish next to your turkey and mashed potatoes.

Wild Rice Salad | The Small Town Foodie

The salad is full of so many different flavors and textures–soft wild rice, roasted sweet potatoes, tender kale, sweet and crisp apples, tart dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, and a dressing that has a hint of sugary maple flavor.

Wild Rice Salad | The Small Town Foodie

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your time with friends and family!

(reminder: you can click each ingredient or direction below and cross it off as you make the recipe)

Wild Rice Salad

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This wild rice salad is packed with sweet potatoes, apples, kale, dried cranberries, and pecans, and drizzled with a maple balsamic dressing.

You'll Need...

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)
  • 2 cups wild rice (about 6 cups cooked)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 ½ tablespoons + ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 medium apple (about 2 cups chopped)
  • ½ lemon (about 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
  • 4 curly kale leaves (about 2 cups chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into small cubes.
  3. Add sweet potatoes to a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss. Roast in oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked, mixing halfway through. Allow potatoes to cool.
  4. While potatoes cook, prepare the rest of the salad. Add rice, water, and ½ tablespoon olive oil to medium pot. Bring to a boil, stir once, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until completely cooked.
  5. Remove rice from heat and let stand (covered) for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff rice and allow to cool.
  6. Chop apples into small pieces and toss in juice of half a lemon (to prevent browning).
  7. Chop kale to desired size (I like to cut it into very small pieces).
  8. Make the dressing by adding together remaining ¼ cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix together well.
  9. Add half of the dressing to the chopped kale. Massage the kale with the dressing for about 30 seconds.**
  10. Add the rice, sweet potatoes, kale, apples, cranberries, remaining dressing, and pecans together.
  11. Mix well and serve!

Additional Notes

Massaging the kale helps to make it more tender, because kale can be very rough sometimes. Simply use your hands and rub the kale with the dressing.

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This wild rice salad is packed with sweet potatoes, apples, kale, dried cranberries, and pecans, and drizzled with a maple balsamic dressing. Perfect for a healthier Thanksgiving side dish | The Small Town Foodie

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