Chewy wild rice and sweet, tender lacinato kale come together in this Wild Rice and Kale Salad for a salad that is hearty and filling. Tossed with crunchy toasted walnuts, salty crumbled feta, sweet dried cranberries, and thin sliced red onion, this salad is coated in a tangy and bright Lemon Dill Vinaigrette, making it perfect for meal prep or a filling side dish.
With all of the cold weather, and the desire to reach for hearty and filling comfort foods that it brings, I feel like salads kind of get overlooked in the winter time. But this Wild Rice and Kale Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette is here to change that (I hope!).
Combining chewy wild rice with tender lacinato kale as well as toasted walnuts, feta, red onion, and dried cranberries this salad can be made any time of the year. But I find it especially tasty served as a fall or winter salad. It is great for make-ahead meal prep, when you are looking for a healthy and filling lunchtime salad to get you through your day. But it would also make a delicious, healthy side dish along any meat or fish for dinner. You could even serve this as a Thanksgiving salad or on your holiday table.
The idea of putting wild rice in a salad might sound a little strange to you, but trust me, the chewy texture of wild rice is the perfect pairing in this salad. It is slightly nutty, and hearty, helping make this healthy winter salad one that will fill you up and leave you satisfied. As much as I love wild rice, I had honestly never even thought to put it in a salad until we had a delicious wild rice salad for my birthday this year (Thanks to my brother’s awesome girlfriend Lexi!). After that, I was inspired, and immediately started dreaming up this Wild Rice and Kale Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette.
What Do You Need to Make this Wild Rice and Kale Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette?
This salad combines some simple ingredients, all of which I always have in the fridge or pantry, so it is a great salad to throw together any winter day. You will need:
- Wild Rice: For the best results, you will want to use real wild rice for this recipe, not the pre-packaged wild rice blends. This rice can be a little more expensive and takes a little longer to cook, but the nutty flavor and texture can’t be beat. You can use leftover rice or cook some up before you mix this salad together. I like to keep extra cooked grains like quinoa and wild rice in my freezer so they are ready to toss into salads like this.
- Lacinato Kale: For this recipe, I choose to use lacinato kale. Also known as dinosaur or Tuscan kale, this tends to be more tender and slightly sweeter than traditional curly kale. If you have tried kale before, and found it to be rather tough or chewy, lacinato kale may be a better option for eating raw in salads.
- Other Mix Ins: I love any salad to be filled with lots of textures and flavors, so I loaded this Wild Rice and Kale Salad up with some of my favorites. This includes toasted walnuts, crumbled feta cheese, dried cranberries, and sliced red onion. You can also make some substitutions if you want, such as subbing pomegranate seeds for the cranberries, replacing the feta with goat cheese or shaved parmesan, or using different nuts such as pistachios, cashews, sliced almonds, or even pepitas to make this nut free.
- Lemon Dill Vinaigrette: This salad is topped with a simple Lemon Dill Vinaigrette dressing that is quick and easy to mix together. I used dried dill weed, rather than fresh to keep this a simple pantry friendly salad, but if you have fresh dill on hand, you can substitute. Just add all of the ingredients to a jar, shake to combine, and it is ready to serve.
What is Wild Rice?
You may be surprised to learn that wild rice is not actually a rice at all. A long black grain, wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass native to North America, that is commonly grown in lake and river beds throughout the Great Lakes region. Wild rice holds its long shape when cooking and has an earthy, nutty taste and chewy texture.
Another benefit is that wild rice is nutrient dense, offering about fifty percent more fiber and protein than brown rice, among other nutrients such as manganese, magnesium, and zinc. It is also naturally gluten free and high in antioxidants. Wild rice is a healthy choice to add to salads like this Wild Rice and Kale Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette, as well as soups and other dishes to make them more filling and nutritious.
Want More Healthy Salad Recipes like this Wild Rice and Kale Salad?
Healthy salad recipes are my favorite any time of the year. If you are looking for more ideas, check these out:
- Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, & Quinoa Power Bowl
- Walnut, Apple, and Kale Power Salad
- Greek Salad with Kale and Quinoa
- Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad with Maple Ginger Vinaigrette
Get the recipe down below and be sure to comment or leave a review to let me know what you think!
Wild Rice and Kale Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 5 cups lacinato kale
- 2 cups cooked wild rice (cooled)
- ½ red onion (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup toasted walnuts (chopped)
- ½ cup feta cheese (crumbled)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Lemon Dill Vinaigrette
- Juice of 1 lemon (1 small squeeze reserved)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 - 2 clove garlic (grated)
- ½ tsp dried dill weed
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Make the dressing by combining all dressing ingredients in a glass jar or container. Seal tightly and shake until emulsified.
- Remove stems from kale, and finely chop into bite sized pieces. Squeeze reserved squeeze of lemon juice over kale. Massage gently with your fingers to gently soften the kale.
- In a large bowl, combine, kale, cooked wild rice, red onion, walnuts, feta cheese, and dried cranberries. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat. Salad will keep several days in the refrigerator.