Roasted Vegetable Wild Rice Salad
I know what you’re thinking a boring rice salad! Well this is so far from that and might even become your new favorite side dish. This dish packs so much flavor. It’s perfect warm, room temp, or chilled. I love stuffing it into squashes or over a pile of greens but it’s so wonderful as is too.
We start with wild rice, which is technically not a grain but a grass. Really nice and hearty starch that’s loaded with vitamins . We toss it in a beautiful orange shallot dressing and fold in tons of roasted vegetables (use whatever you have), dried cranberries, nuts of choice, and green onions. This dish is so packed with flavor and is a great way to use up vegetables that are hiding in the back of you fridge.
Yield: 6 Servings
Roasted Vegetable Wild Rice Salad
Rice:
1 cup wild rice
4 cups roasted vegetables of choice, I like butternut squash, brussels sprouts, bell peppers and sweet potato, small dice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup nuts of choice, lightly toasted (walnuts, pecans, almonds etc..)
6 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large shallots, small dice
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cook wild rice according to package directions.
Meanwhile prepare dressing; Gently heat olive oil in a sauté pan, once hot add shallots and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Pour shallots garlic oil into a bowl, whisk in remaining dressing ingredients.
Toss cooked wild rice with vegetables, cranberries, nuts, and green onions. Toss with dressing. Season to taste.
