Wild Rice Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette is the quintessential scrumptious, colorful, make ahead side dish! Earthy wild rice is combined with tangy artichoke hearts, colorful peas, crunchy bell pepper, piquant green onions and juicy cherry tomatoes. This luscious mixture is then topped off with a sharp Parmesan Vinaigrette and toasted almonds.
Table of Contents
Wild Rice Salad with Peas and Artichoke
This Elegant Wild Rice Salad recipe is courtesy of my good friend Diane Heidel. In fact, she served it at my bridal shower, and Mom and I loved it so much we decided on the spot that it had to be included in our cookbook “A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®”!
What makes this salad so fabulous is the amazing combination of flavors, textures and colors – earthy, tangy, fresh, nutty, crunchy, moist. Since it is made ahead and served at room temperature, it’s perfect for potlucks, picnics and buffets!
How to Make This Wild Rice Salad Recipe
You’ll be amazed at how easy this salad is to prepare. Here are the steps:
- Rinse wild rice.
Place rice in a strainer and run under cold water. Shake off excess water. - Cook rice.
In a large saucepan, heat 2 quarts and 1 cup water and rice to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is done (chewy and some of the grains will have popped). It may take another 5 to 10 minutes. Drain off any remaining liquid and set aside to cool. - Prep artichoke hearts.
Place artichoke hearts in a strainer over a small mixing bowl and drain. Pour marinade into a 2-cup measuring cup. Pat artichokes dry and coarsely chop. - Add artichokes, peas, pepper, onions and tomatoes to cooled rice.
Stir chopped artichoke hearts, thawed peas, green pepper, green onions and tomatoes into cooled rice. - Add marinade.
Add half of reserved artichoke marinade to rice mixture and gently toss to combine. Set aside. - Prepare Parmesan Vinaigrette.
See directions in next section below! - Assemble the salad.
Shake Parmesan Vinaigrette and pour half over the rice mixture; toss. - Cover and chill.
Cover salad and chill for at least 1 hour. Cover remaining Vinaigrette and refrigerate. - Toss rice salad, adjust seasonings, garnish and serve.
Just before serving, toss salad again and taste. Add additional dressing as needed and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with slivered almonds and serve.
How to Make a Parmesan Vinaigrette
This dressing takes just minutes to prepare and is delicious not only on this salad but also on a simple tossed salad of spring greens, half grape tomatoes and and sliced cucumbers. Here are the easy steps:
- Combine ingredients except oil and cheese.
In a large lidded jar, whisk together vinegar, sugar, salts, pepper, mustard, paprika, garlic and remaining 1/2 of artichoke marinade. - Add olive oil.
Slowly pour in olive oil, whisking until combined. - Add cheese.
Whisk in Parmesan cheese.
Storing and Serving Wild Rice Salad
Once prepared, store it well sealed in the refrigerator. I put it in a large mixing bowl and seal the top with plastic wrap. To serve, bring to room temperature, toss and taste. Add additional dressing as needed and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon salad into a serving bowl, sprinkle slivered almonds over the top and serve.
Is it better to serve this rice salad recipe cold or at room temperature?
You can serve it either cold or at room temperature; I prefer room temperature as the flavors, especially in the dressing, will come through better.
Wild Rice and Artichoke Salad FAQs
This salad can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated.
This salad recipe lists an option of using a mixture of wild rice with brown and/or white rice. Wild rice brings a stronger, earthy flavor into the salad. If you can’t find any, then I would use a mix of brown and white – brown basmati if you can find it.
Wild rice has a stronger flavor than brown or rice, with an earthy flavor.
You always have to rinse wild rice before cooking, but it’s not necessary to soak it. An overnight soak will reduce the cook time, however.
Wild Rice Salad
Easy to prepare Elegant Wild Rice Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette is the quintessential make ahead side dish, making it perfect for potlucks, picnics and buffets!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- chilling time: 60 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Wild Rice Salad
- 3 cups wild rice, rinsed or a mixture of wild with white and/or brown rice
- 2 jars (6 ounce) marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 package (10 ounce) frozen green peas, thawed and dried on paper towel
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped (white, light green and some of the dark green portion)
- 1 pint small cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 marinade from artichoke hearts (from 1 jar)
Parmesan Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 marinade from artichoke hearts (from 1 jar)
- 1 1/3 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
Instructions
Wild Rice Salad
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 quarts and 1 cup water and rice to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is done. Drain off any remaining liquid and set aside to cool.
- Drain artichoke hearts, reserving marinade for dressing. Pat dry, chop and add to cooked rice, along with thawed peas, green pepper, green onions and tomatoes.
- Add half of the reserved artichoke marinade to the rice mixture and gently toss to combine. Set aside.
Parmesan Vinaigrette
- In a large lidded jar, whisk together vinegar, sugar, salts, pepper, mustard, paprika, garlic and remaining 1/2 of artichoke marinade.
- Slowly pour in extra virgin olive oil, whisking until combined.
- Whisk in Parmesan cheese.
Assembly
- Shake Parmesan Vinaigrette and pour half over the rice mixture; toss. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Cover remaining Vinaigrette and refrigerate.
- Just before serving, toss again and taste. Add additional dressing as needed and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with slivered almonds and serve.
Notes
Make ahead: Rice salad can be prepared the night before and refrigerated.
- Category: Salads side, side dishes, easy entertaining
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
