Roasted Cranberry, Wild Rice and Kale Salad

A healthy and hearty salad! Wild rice and kale salad with thyme-roasted cranberries, feta and a tangy maple-dijon dressing.

I love a salad that impresses and this kale and wild rice salad is it. I’ve got a lot of impressive fall-inspired salads that are perfect this time of year for gatherings and you know, Thanksgiving.

This one is hearty enough to be a main (especially with some marinated white beans or other protein on top), yet light enough to be paired alongside other sides.

The roasted cranberries are a must. Once you roast your own cranberries, it’s hard to go back to anything resembling raisins in a package. They are chewy, tart and infused with fresh thyme and black pepper, a must for adding to this wild rice salad.

Why I love this recipe

I love fresh cranberries so much; I stock up on them now to freeze for use throughout the year. You don’t even have to prep them, just stick a bag (or 10) in the freezer in the package you bought them on. They are so incredibly refreshing in my healing cranberry smoothie and a must for my cranberry orange ginger bread. I made that bread almost weekly last holiday season and I have a feeling my next batch is going to happen in the next few days. Seriously, you know it’s Fall when a loaf of quick-bread is cooling on the counter.

I cannot stop roasting fruit. Every time I think I’m going to do something different, I find myself throwing fresh fruit into the roasting pan, ready to be caramelized to perfection. These roasted cranberries are like candy; beautifully tart on this kale salad and just as yummy eaten by the handful (or stirred into vodka for a cocktail that is 👌). 

Bonus points that not only are fresh cranberries gorgeous (that color!), a serving is a good source of vitamin C and fiber; provides antioxidant polyphenols; and contains only 1 mg of sodium. I can’t get enough of their big, bright flavor, especially when paired with toasted pecans, crunchy kale and wild rice.

Ingredient Notes

• Cranberries: Yes, we’re roasting our own cranberries for this salad! Chewy, tender bites of tart cranberries are so nice alongside the hearty kale. You can sub in dried cranberries, but I highly recommend taking the time to roast your own.
• Kale: I usually prefer Tuscan kale for my kale salads, but for this wild rice version I’m using curly kale as I feel like the additional texture stands up well to the roasted cranberries and other ingredients.
• Feta: A little creaminess from the feta pairs well with the other ingredients, but you can omit to keep this dairy-free. Or, consider adding in creamy diced avocado for a vegan version. Goat cheese would also work.
• Dijon: It needs to be dijon mustard and not yellow mustard or seedy mustard. The dijon helps to emulsify the vinegar and olive oil and provides a nice tangy that complements the wild rice.
• Pecans: Chopped, toasted pecans add a nice texture change and if I have the time, I love using candied pecans that I’ve either made or bought. The extra little sweetness from the pecans is great against the tart cranberries.

How to Make this Salad

Cook the Wild Rice

Cook the wild rice according to package directions. I am using just wild rice, not a wild rice blend. It will likely be 1/2 cup wild rice to 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 55 to 65 minutes, until the rice is tender.

Roast the Cranberries

Place the cranberries in a roasting pan with the sugar, thyme and olive oil. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes, then remove and let cool.

Make the Dressing

Add all of the ingredients for the dressing into a small blender and puree until creamy. Or, finely dice the shallot and mix into the dressing ingredients.

Assemble

Add all of the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl– the cooked and cooled wild rice, the roasted cranberries, kale, feta, pecans.

Tips for Success

• Don’t Overcook the Cranberries: Make sure not to overcook the cranberries as they will become too tough and chewy. That’s the best part about making your own roasted cranberries over using a package option!
• Massage the Kale: Add the dressing to the kale and massage well; this helps to tenderize the kale and make it taste less bitter.
• Puree the Dressing: I hate bites of raw shallots in my salad dressing so I like to use my immersion blender or mini nutribullet to make this dressing so it’s creamy! Otherwise, you finely chop the shallots and then whisk into the dressing.
• Cool first: Make the wild rice and cranberries and then let cool slightly before adding to the salad.

More Fall Inspired Salads

• Jeweled Farro Salad
• Persimmon Salad
• Autumn Squash, Kale and Apple Salad
• Kale Caesar Salad
• Winter Wheat Berry Salad with Butternut Squash
• Kale and Apple Salad with Candied Pecans
• Delicata, Honeynut Squash and Kale Salad
• Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad

If you try this Roasted Cranberries, Wild Rice and Kale salad recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge. I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!