Packed with a variety of textures and flavors, this vegetarian kale wild rice salad recipe is the fall salad of your dreams! Chewy, nutty wild rice pairs beautifully with raw kale, crisp apples, pistachios, dried cranberries, gouda cheese, and parsley apple cider vinaigrette dressing. Enjoy this delicious and healthy dish as a side, main course, or addition to your holiday spread!
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Lizzie’s Notes
Crisp fall weather goes so well with crisp fall salads! And this new kale wild rice salad does NOT disappoint. Wild rice, the official grain of my home state (Minnesota), is the star ingredient, alongside classic fall flavors like apples and dried cranberries.
If you’re not familiar with it, wild rice has a chewy texture that still holds a bite, nutty flavor, and an impressive amount of protein, fiber, and micronutrients. It’s been a staple food of Native Americans for hundreds of years and is harvested via canoe from lakes where it grows as an aquatic grass. Over the past several years that I’ve lived in Minnesota, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with wild rice in my recipes.
This salad is a celebration of some of my favorite fall foods. Wild rice is often harvested in late August and September, at the same time that apples are in abundance and gorgeous bunches of kale make their way to farmers’ market stands. I added even more seasonal flavors in the form of dried cranberries, apple cider vinegar, and a hint of maple syrup. I hope you love everything about it!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Wild rice: You can typically find wild rice at grocery stores in most areas of the United States. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods both usually carry it. If you don’t have any luck finding it at your store, consider purchasing it online or substituting brown rice or quinoa.
- Kale: I prefer to use Tuscan (aka dinosaur or lacinato) kale for kale wild rice salad. You can of course substitute green or purple curly kale if desired. To save time, use bagged shredded kale.
- Apples: Use any kind you like! I love to use Honeycrisp or First Kiss apples.
- Dried cranberries: Substitute dried cherries if desired.
- Pistachios: Dry roasted (without added oil) and salted pistachios work best, but you can use raw and/or dry roasted and unsalted if desired.
- Gouda: I love pairing gouda cheese with apples in fall recipes! If you don’t have gouda, sub parmesan or cheddar. Omit the cheese if you want the recipe to be vegan or dairy-free. If you need the dish to be strictly vegetarian, look for a cheese labeled as such.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use a high-quality brand like Partanna or Zoe for the most flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: Substitute lemon juice or red wine vinegar if you don’t have ACV.
- Maple syrup: Swap in honey if that’s what you have.
- Dijon mustard: Sub whole grain mustard or plain Greek yogurt.
- Garlic: Fresh tastes delicious in the dressing, but you can substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder if needed.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley makes the dressing VERY flavorful, so don’t skimp on it! Substitute another fresh herb if you don’t have parsley, such as thyme, sage, or rosemary. However, I recommend using a smaller amount of these herbs because they can be overpowering if you use too much.
Instructions
The full recipe card for kale wild rice salad is at the bottom of the post. Scroll down to see it. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos.
Add thinly sliced/shredded kale to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and a dash of apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice). Massage for a minute or two until soft. See my tutorial on How to Soften Kale for more details.
Add wild rice, pistachios, apples, cheese, and dried cranberries to the bowl with the kale.
Prep the dressing in a measuring cup and pour over ingredients.
Toss well, and enjoy!
Storage
Kale typically holds up better than other lettuces when dressed. Leftovers of this kale wild rice salad will last for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The kale may get softer over time. If you want the salad to last for a longer period, store the dressing separately and add it just before eating.
Serving
Enjoy kale wild rice salad on its own or add shredded chicken, baked salmon, breaded tofu, or crispy chickpeas for more protein. It’s a great choice for Thanksgiving or served with soup for lunch or dinner! Consider making my Apple Carrot Ginger Soup, Vegan Butternut Squash and Pear Soup, or Vegan Cauliflower and Parsnip Soup for a fall meal.
Similar Recipes
Love this salad? Check out these other dishes while you’re here. The Cream of Mushroom Wild Rice Soup is another great way to use wild rice!
📖 Recipe
Kale Wild Rice Salad
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- 1 large bunch Tuscan kale - about 8 to 10 leaves or 8 cups shredded, stems removed and leaves thinly sliced/shredded
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 cups cooked wild rice - about ½ cup dry, see notes
- 1 large apple - cored and cubed
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pistachios - dry roasted and salted
- 4 ounces gouda cheese - cubed, about ½ cup
Dressing ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup - or honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic - grated or minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Add the sliced kale to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then use your hands to massage it for 1 to 2 minutes until noticeably more tender.
- Add the cooked wild rice, apple, dried cranberries, pistachios, and gouda cheese to the bowl.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and chopped parsley. If you want a smoother dressing, consider blending it in a food processor.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss until coated.
- Serve the salad, and enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Wild rice tips: Prep time does not include the time to prepare the wild rice, so be sure to consider cooking time if you didn’t make it in advance. Wild rice may take up to 50 minutes to cook. Follow the instructions on the package, keep a close eye, and stir often to promote even cooking. It’s typically done when most of the kernels have burst open and, as the brand I often use puts it, resemble hot dogs not popcorn. It will still have a slight bite when cooked but should be mostly chewy.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. If you want the salad to last longer, don’t dress it before storing and keep the dressing in a separate container. Add the dressing right before eating.
- Serving: Add chickpeas, tofu, salmon, or chicken for more protein.
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