Spring Wild Rice Salad Recipe
A spring-inspired wild rice salad - vibrant asparagus, yellow split peas, and wild rice tossed in an almond butter dressing and finished off with a bit of goat cheese and chives.
It's unfortunate, but aside from the holiday season wild rice seems to be all but ignored. For an eight week stretch as the year comes to a close I typically see it used in two ways -in stuffings, or as a side salad punctuated with dried cranberries. Then nothing for another year. Wild rice is such a unique and nutritious ingredient, I made a note-to-self to try to work it in to my day to day cooking more often. As we start getting more warm days, the nuttiness of the rice plays beautifully off many springtime ingredients. For lunch yesterday I decided to make a spring inspired wild rice salad - vibrant asparagus, yellow split peas, and wild rice tossed in an almond butter dressing and finished off with a bit of goat cheese and chives.
For those of you who don't cook with wild rice often, there is a whole world of wild rice to learn about. The first thing (and many of you already know this), wild rice isn't actually a rice - it's an annual aquatic grass. There are a wide range of wild rices available. Some come from their native upper Great Lakes region, others come from Idaho, Washington, and California. You can buy hand-harvested wild rice, you can buy cultivated wild rice. Connoisseurs will be quick to tell you that wild rice hand-harvested from a canoe is like a fine wine, the creme de la creme, others counter that at $10-$20 per pound not everyone can afford it. As I mention in SNC it can be surprisingly light in color and often takes much less time to cook than it's cultivated cousin - the darker, glossy, brownish black wild rice you are likely familiar with.
We talk a lot about cooking times on this site, and as with most grains (or grain-like ingredients), cooking time can vary greatly from rice to rice depending on the type of wild rice you buy, when it was harvested, and so on - so keep that in mind as you go into any recipe that features wild rice.
Semi-related rice recipes:
- Poached Eggs Over Rice
- Red Rice Salad
- Coconut Rice
- Ten Minute Tasty Asparagus and Brown Rice
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Spring Wild Rice Salad Recipe
You can use tahini or experiment with other nut butters here. Also, If you like a bit more texture you can pan-fry the split peas for a minute or so - don't go too far or that get overly crunchy. You can easily make this vegan by omitting the goat cheese.
Almond Dressing:
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup almond butter
zest of one lemon
scant 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
scant 1/4 cup hot water
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
4 cups cooked wild rice*
1 cup cooked yellow split peas**
1 bunch chives, chopped
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
Whisk together the garlic, almond butter, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside.
Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the asparagus. Cook for just a minute - until the asparagus is just bright and tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
In a large bowl combine the wild rice, yellow split peas, asparagus, and abot half of the almond dressing. Give it a good toss. Add more dressing if needed. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Serve topped with chives and crumbled goat cheese.
Serves 8.
*To cook wild rice (SNC 60). Rinse 1 1/2 cups wild rice. In a medium sauce pan bring the rice and 4 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes or until rice is tender and splitting open, stirring occasionally.
**To cook dried yellow spilt peas: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add 3/4 cup dried yellow split peas, and cook for 20 -30 minutes, or until tender. Drain, salt to taste and set aside.
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Comments
I usually do well with your recipes, but this one I killed. MIne turned out as what my roommate likes to call ‘bachelor mush’. Maybe too much water in the rice?? 🙁
Made this last night for dinner- absolutely delicious!! Every recipe I make from your website is a hit. Thank you for all that you do!
Have I mentioned how much I love your blog lately? It’s so inspiring and beautiful. I try to convert envy into action, but you’re a hard act to follow. (Er, your kitchen to my kitchen, that is. Heh.)
(But the ads for Kraft are fr-eaking me out, I confess. They seem so out of place and garish in this tasteful/serene/honest/real environment.)
Heidi note: Thanks for the note Tana. Let me start by saying that I would love to see more natural foods-related companies supporting sites like mine. In fact, I sent a list with the names of dozens of companies in the natural foods/lifestyle space to my ad network, and I suspect they have had conversations with many of them. On top of that, I’ve encouraged them to cut companies like these a deal on ad rates. One can hope that eventually some of them will start spending some/more of their marketing budgets online. Regarding the campaigns that run on the site…I’ve actually declined many, many processed food campaigns, and I do my best to stay on top of it. If I see a campaign come through that I am uncomfortable with, I have it removed. That being said, I won’t reject something strictly based on brand or past history. There are a number of companies who are making an effort to use less processed ingredients in their products, eliminating preservatives and artificial flavors, etc. I try to review those on a case by case basis and decide. It’s not a perfect system.
Yummy! I served this for dinner last night as part of a home “salad bar” with green salad and couscous salad. I’m having it for lunch today. I think it’s wonderful. I took the tahini option, because I had that on hand, and used some deliciously salty local feta in place of the goat cheese. A distinctly different taste from the almond butter/goat cheese route, I’m sure, but a great result, all the same!
Great idea about using the almond butter — I haven’t tried this before in a dressing! Beautifully done 🙂
Great idea about using the almond butter — I haven’t tried this before in a dressing! Beautifully done 🙂
Any recommendations on wine to accompany the wild rice salad?
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Brittany – I double-dog-dare you! Even if it does not turn out exactly like Heidi’s beautiful photos, you will have likely tried a new flavor or a new technique. Have fun with it!
All of your recipes sound so great but I’m too chicken to try any! I even bought all the ingredients for the soba/tofu dish then chickened out. Someone needs to double-dog-dare me.
How do you get your yellow splits to hold that color? I always have problems with brightly-colored lentils and peas turning beige when they’re cooked. I thought about adding some turmeric to the cooking peas, but was afraid of the dye bleeding onto the salad, resulting in a tan-yellow muck.
I just made this for dinner tonight. It made a TON of dishes (one for the rice, one for the split peas, one to steam the asparagus, one to make the dressing). It also made a TON of food, which I should have known but… The flavors were ok, but I did not care at all for the salad with goat cheese on it, even a little bit totally overpowered the other flavors. My boyfriend couldn’t even finish his :-/ Overall it was ok, but I probably won’t be making it again.
This sounds delicious! Any idea how many carbs per serving?
Where do you purchase Almond butter? Can you make it in a food processor with almonds?
Love wild rice and I’d love to try this recipe.
Hi,
This was great I found it hard to get the ingredients where I live but it was great none the less. This website also has good stuff
http://www.geocities.com/cookingtips4u
Mmm..this sounds good. I do agree that wild rice is forgotten unless it’s Thanksgiving time. The last time I had some was around that time of year.
I’m a little embarrased to say I’ve never made wild rice. I’ve eaten it quite a few times- in stuffings haha.
Teddy
I’m a little embarrased to say I’ve never made wild rice. I’ve eaten it quite a few times- in stuffings haha.
Teddy
How about posting low residue ideas because I had a column ostomy
Hey Heidi, add my name to the list of those congratulating you on your James Beard nomination. Woohoo! You definitely earned it, Ms. Super Natural.
Hey Heidi, add my name to the list of those congratulating you on your James Beard nomination. Woohoo! You definitely earned it, Ms. Super Natural.
Good idea using the yellow split-peas for color! Puy lentils might be an alternative – not as vibrant in color, but they keep their texture really well when cooked, I think.
Thanks for all your notes about the James Beard nomination. It’s very exciting!
Bonnie, you can serve it either hot or cold! I enjoy it warm.
Kim, yes – give it a go.
Fitc – yes, green split peas will work. They taste more pea-ish to me, but would still be good.
-h
Wow I love wild rice, almond butter and asparagus! So glad I found this recipe site!
Heidi, congratulations!
I just saw that you’ve been nominated for a James Beard Foundation award for your book! You absolutely deserve it, as I’m sure everyone who frequents this site and loves your book will agree.
Congratulations again!
Good! I love it!
On the botanical status of wild rice: Patrick, you’re right that “regular rice” is an aquatic annual grass, Oryza sativa. But the “wild rice” that’s in the same botanical genus, and from which “regular rice” is descended — Oryza rufipogon and other species — is found only in Asia and Africa. The grain that we know as “wild rice”, native to North America and now cultivated here, is from another genus, Zizania. So, it is not actually a true rice because it is not related to the various Oryza species and cultivars.
Congrats on your James Beard nomination and good luck! I love reading all of your recipes and stories!
I have been looking for a salad like that for days! Thanks once again!
Wow–is it already asparagus season down there on the West Coast? Here in Toronto, Canada, I have to wait until early May! Once I get my hands on a fresh bunch, though, this will definitely the first recipe on the stove. I bet this dish would pair nicely with a glass of white wine…
And congrats on the JBF nomination!
WOW!!! I cooked it for my dad! He loved it!!!
Thanks!!!
Heidi, I just saw the James Beard Award Nomination list…and you’re on it! Kudos to you!!
We were delighted to see your name on the JB list! As Joy said – well deserved!
mmmm this looks delicious, some of my favorite ingredients
Congratulations on your James Beard award nomination! Very exciting and well-deserved!
This looks and sounds fantastic! I never knew what to do with wild rice, but goat cheese and asparagus-how can you go wrong? Yum!
I’m really happy to see this recipe today. Last week I was in the Great Lakes area of upper Wisconsin/Minnesota and purchased four pounds of hand-harvested wild rice to bring back home. I had some incredible chicken wild rice soup while I was up there and wild rice stuffed mushrooms but wanted to find some other ways to use the rice. This looks perfect! I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for this recipe.
Looks lovely! Congrats on your JBF nomination! Love your simple, beautiful, and natural approach to food and photography…Cheers!
I love the texture of wild rice. I never thought to make a nice side salad from it, nor did I realize it was aquatic grass. Split peas or maybe some lentils sound great in this salad. I would try it with peanut butter but the almond butter sounds better because of the asparagus. Top it with some sliced almonds as well and this looks like a perfect dish! Thanks for sharing.
– The Peanut Butter Boy
…..is this supposed to be served warm or cold?
I’ve used wild rice on and off through the years and I have discovered that the big secret for me to enjoy it is to not under cook it! Sounds pretty simple but I have been known to be impatient. And it is quite an exercise to eat if under cooked.
Heidi, your wild rice/ curry coconut soup is amongst my favorites in SNC. My picky husband loves it so much that I made it for his birthday this year. And quite easy to make at that!
Sounds great! And congratulations on the James Beard Foundation Award nomination in the Healthy Focus category!
Heya, Heidi! Just thought I’d drop a comment and tell you how great that pizza dinner turned out to be! If it weren’t for your help I don’t know if we would have had nearly as much fun.
By the way, this recipe looks & sounds delicious and I look forward to trying it out.
– Kacie
Re the lack of spring/summer wild rice dishes, there’s a wonderful wild rice salad: orange juice & rind, mint,scallions, etc. in the original Silver Palate cookbook, page 345. I substitute pine nuts for the pecans, and don’t use the raisins as they overwhelm the salad. Truly delicious!
I just bought some asparagus yesterday and also happen to have leftover cooked wild rice from dinner last night —this recipe is calling my name! I think i’ll try it with some sunflower butter that I have on hand. Beautiful dish!
I will try this…I have almond butter in the fridge! and it seems very healthy, too.
What a beautiful salad, you always use such vibrant colors and flavors. Great post as usual!
BeckytheBeanstalk, thanks for raising the question about protein…I found an answer here under “protein quality” http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c21Um.html
I’m trying to work in more (healthier) foods into my diet, so I’m sadly a bit new to some of the substitutions possible… why did you choose yellow split peas? Is there a difference that it wouldn’t work with green split peas? Or was it just whimsy and to give more color, given the asparagus? (Because I have green split peas and the rest of the ingredients on hand… whereas the yellow split peas would require a trip to the store.)
Heidi, love your recipes and your comments. Your comments here, though, perpetuate a myth I see in many wild rice recipes, i.e., that wild rice isn’t actually ‘rice,’ but rather a seed of an aquatic grass. Well, rice IS an aquatic grass and both wild rice and “regular” rice belong to the same botanical genus.
another winner. and that almond butter would compliment the wild rice so perfectly. i have some in my pantry but it’s about a year old.
but heidi – really. the split peas and the asparagus – the goat cheese… what an amazing and beautiful combination.
again and again you are always the best, the classiest and the healthiest! i adore you!
Oh yes! A use for almond butter! I’ve mixed it with chocolate to make a faux-Nutella but otherwise been at a loss for recipes to put it in. This looks great. I love wild rice, at any time of the year.
I love the idea of using almond butter in a dressing! I suspect it just adds to the earthiness of the wild rice. I’m always looking for interesting grain or rice based salad or soups since they keep well and make a great, filling brown bag lunch.
And I’m so excited it’s asparagus season again!
Asparagus have been particularly good this spring, especially living in the South. I have always enjoyed the nuttiness of wild rice and like the combination of ingredients in your recipe. But, for some reason I prefer an orange flavor though, don’t you think it would work if I substituted the lemon by using orange zest and juice?
Asparagus have been particularly good this spring, especially living in the South. I have always enjoyed the nuttiness of wild rice and like the combination of ingredients in your recipe. But, for some reason I prefer an orange flavor though, don’t you think it would work if I substituted the lemon by using orange zest and juice?
Looks fantastic, I bought some red wild rice a couple of weeks ago and still haven’t done anything with it, this looks like it might be it!!!
Being a Minnesotan (well, three times removed, but still… I’m enamored of the accent and bear just a trace of it myself), I am a fan of wild rice. I’m not well-read on the nutritional value though — does it, like most grains, form a complete protein when mixed with legumes (like the split peas in this recipe)?
With the chives and the asparagus, this recipe pretty well announces the arrival of spring. Fresh produce is still a bit off, here in the Midwest, but there’s light at the end of the food tunnel now!
Wonderful! The textures must be amazing with the almonds and the asparagus and the split peas… oh and the creaminess of the goat cheese… sounds delicious! and healthy!
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