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Wild Rice Salad with Peppers, Avocado and Feta

Wild Rice Salad with Peppers, Avocado and Feta

Chewy, nutty wild rice makes a sturdy base for a salad that holds up for days. This one is tossed with roasted or fresh red pepper, cucumber, red onion, avocado, feta and herbs in a sharp lemon and Dijon vinaigrette. It is good for lunch boxes, picnics and potlucks, and it also makes an unexpected side for a holiday meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup wild rice rinsed
  • 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 tsp salt for cooking
  • 1 large red bell pepper diced, or 2 roasted red peppers from a jar
  • 1/2 English cucumber diced
  • 1/4 small red onion finely diced
  • 1 ripe avocado diced
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh mint or basil chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 small clove garlic grated
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Combine the wild rice, water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 40–55 minutes, until the grains are tender and many have split open to show their pale insides.
  2. Drain any remaining water. Spread the rice on a plate or tray to cool for at least 15 minutes.
  3. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, garlic and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  4. Add the cooled rice to the bowl and toss to coat. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the grains absorb some dressing.
  5. Fold in the pepper, cucumber, red onion, herbs and most of the feta.
  6. Just before serving, gently fold in the avocado. Top with the remaining feta and season to taste.

Notes

  • Soak the diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes and drain if you want a milder bite.
  • Cook a double batch of wild rice and freeze half in bags for quick salads later.