Wild Rice Pecan Salad Recipe

This Wild Rice Pecan Salad recipe combines nutty wild rice, earthy mushrooms, sweet dried cranberries, fresh green onions, bright orange, and toasted pecans in a simple citrus dressing. Featured on License to Grill with Rob Rainford, this refreshing make-ahead salad is an easy side dish for grilled meats, seafood, barbecues, and casual entertaining.

The Inspiration

Wild rice is an excellent base for a hearty salad because of its distinctive nutty flavour and pleasantly chewy texture. In this recipe from License to Grill, Rob Rainford pairs it with mushrooms, cranberries, orange, and pecans to create a side dish filled with contrasting flavours and textures.

The dressing keeps things uncomplicated. Olive oil adds richness, fresh orange juice provides sweetness and acidity, and prepared horseradish introduces a subtle sharpness that gives the salad more character. Salt ties all of the ingredients together.

Toasted pecans are added at the end, giving the salad a crisp, buttery finish. Toasting the nuts on the grill enhances their natural flavour while reinforcing the outdoor cooking style associated with License to Grill.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of uncooked wild rice (375ml)
6 ounces wild mushrooms, cut into small thin slices
½ cup dried cranberries ( 125 ml)
3 green onions, minced
zest of 1 orange

Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil (30ml)
Juice of 1 orange
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish (2.5ml)
Salt to season
½ cup pecan pieces toasted (125ml)

Method

Cook the wild rice according the package instructions and pour the finished rice into a bowl. Add mushrooms, cranberries, green onion and orange zest.
Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together in a bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix it well. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to a day.
Place the pecans on a tray and place on the grill to toast. Stir the pecans into the salad and serve chilled.

Serving Suggestions

This Wild Rice Pecan Salad is an excellent accompaniment to grilled chicken, pork, steak, or seafood. Its combination of sweet cranberries, citrus, earthy mushrooms, and toasted pecans provides a refreshing contrast to smoky barbecue flavours. Serve it alongside grilled vegetables or a crisp green salad for a colourful and satisfying meal.

Because the salad can be refrigerated for several hours or prepared a day ahead, it is particularly convenient for backyard barbecues, picnics, or casual entertaining. Simply keep the toasted pecans separate until shortly before serving so they maintain their crunch. The salad can also be served as part of a buffet with other chilled sides, fresh bread, and grilled proteins.

Final Thoughts

This Wild Rice Pecan Salad recipe brings together a satisfying mix of nutty, fruity, earthy, and citrus flavours in one easy side dish. Wild rice provides a hearty foundation, while mushrooms add depth and dried cranberries bring sweetness and colour.

Find more recipes from License to Grill here!