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Curried Wild rice salad in a speckled bowl sitting on a white marble next to a white with blue striped dish cloth
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5 from 2 votes

Curried Wild Rice Salad

Wild Rice Salad with sweet crisp apples,cranberries, celery, green onion and bell pepper tossed in a curry yogurt-mayo dressing. It’s simple, hearty and full of flavor in every bite - perfect as a side dish or lunch for two. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings: 4 cups
Author: Pam Werley

Ingredients

  • 1 cup wild rice brown rice or a mix, rinsed
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup pineapple juice
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • 1 celery rib ,diced
  • ½ apple ,peeled, cored and diced (about ½ cup)
  • 2 scallions ,light and green parts, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • ¼ cup red bell pepper chopped
  • ¼ cup toasted nuts (optional) - pecans or walnuts or roasted salted pepitas

For the curried yogurt-dressing:

  • ½ cup mayo
  • 2 tablespoons whole-milk plain yogurt , or Greek Yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook The Rice:

  • Pour wild rice into a mesh sieve and give it a good rinse. In a medium pot, combine the rice, ¾ teaspoon of the salt, and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low; cover and simmer until the rice is tender and most of the grains have split open, about 45 minutes.
  • If there is excess water, drain rice. Remove from heat, fluff rice with a fork add the dried cranberries and pineapple juice; cover and let cool.

Make the Dressing:

  • In a small bowl whisk together yogurt, mayo, curry powder, honey, and lemon juice. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to toss the salad.

Assemble the Salad:

  • In a large bowl, toss together the cooled rice, vegetables, fruit, nuts (if using) and curried yogurt-mayo dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. For more sweetness add honey. Need more citrus? Reach for more pineapple juice. If the dressing is too thick, thin with a bit more pineapple juice (about 1 teaspoon at a time).

Notes

If using nuts toast the nuts by placing in a small, dry skillet. Toast over low heat, shaking the pan often, until fragrant and toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes.. Keep an eye on the skillet once the nuts start to toast because they brown fast and burn quickly.