Festive Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries: Fiesta Friday #38
Festive Wild Rice Salad
Thanksgiving dinners with my family are big, noisy, delicious affairs. My mom and dad usually prepare the turkey and dressing and the rest of us bring an array of side dishes to make an enormous feast. I love this event and try to bring something different every year. Today’s scrumptious rice dish is one of the recipes that, inspired by rice salads of Thanksgivings past, I created for my family last week. I am happy to report that it was a huge hit and sadly there was very little left over to take home. All of the colours and ingredients remind me of fall and I just couldn’t resist showcasing them in a bright, orange pumpkin. This is a wonderful accompaniment to roast turkey or chicken, or eat it by itself for breakfast or a snack. I did!
I am bringing a big pumpkin stuffed with this lively salad over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday. Yeah, Friday is here and we are so ready to head over to The Novice Gardener for some R and R. If you haven’t yet visited Fiesta Friday, the hottest blog party in the blogosphere, you really should. We all bring a little something to share, be it a recipe, some music, poetry, or whatever you are passionate about. Today, my very talented blogging buddy, Hilda of Along the Grapevine, and I are very excited to be co-hosting. Just let either of us know if there is anything we can get you! Fresh plate? Something to drink? Directions to the loo? We are here for you! For any newbies, welcome, and here are the guidelines. To join us, all you have to do is click on the button below. Happy Fiesta Friday to all.
This is perfect with roast turkey or chicken!
Festive Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries
Ingredients:
1 cup wild rice
½ cup brown basmati rice
¾ teaspoon salt
1 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
salt and pepper
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup dried cranberries
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1 cup pecan halves
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Rinse the wild rice in cold running water. Place in a medium saucepan with 2 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.
Rinse the brown rice in cold running water. Place in a small saucepan with 1 cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.
In a large skillet, sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil until they become translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 – 25 minutes until they are cooked and golden. Set aside.
In a small skillet, toast the pecans over medium heat, until they become fragrant. Set aside.
Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.
In a large salad bowl, gently toss together all of the salad ingredients. Just before serving, add the dressing and toss again. Serve immediately.
This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. It will last longer, but the nuts will begin to soften.
Be sure to double the recipe if you want leftovers!
62 Responses to “Festive Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries: Fiesta Friday #38”
I should show to this to mum; this looks absolutely, delicious! 🙂 Haha, it’s making me crave for it. Thank you so much, for sharing this, my friend. 🙂
So glad I can make you crave my recipe! Haha! I’m still craving it too! I’m going to have to make it again! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! 😀
I love this salad and the presentation is so beautiful, perfect for the Fall.
Thanks Suzanne! Don’t you just love the colours of fall? 🙂
This looks delicious Juliana! Love the pumpkin serving bowl. Very seasonal and festive. hooe you had a nice Thanksgiving. Thanks for hosting FF!
Oh, my pleasure to co-host! So many nice blogger to mingle with! We had an awesome Thanksgiving. I hope you have a wonderful week! 🙂
Reblogged this on Chef Ceaser.
Thanks so much for the reblog, Chef! I really appreciate it!
Sounds like you have a wonderful time and a fantastic feast Julianna. Your wild rice salad looks so vibrant and sounds so delicious – I am not surprised that there was very little left! Thank you for co – hosting us again this week; Happy Fiesta Friday!
Thanks so much for the very kind comment, Selma. It is always a pleasure to co-host the fabulous FF! Have a great week! 😀
This looks so fantastic, Chef! And thanks for co-hosting again. Happy FF. 😀
Hey Jhuls! So nice to hear from you! Thanks so much for the kind words! Happy FF to you too! 😀
Delicious, Fall captured in a bowl. Thanks for hosting.
Hey that would be a great name for this dish, Tracey! I should have called it that! My pleasure to co-host!
A gorgeous salad with so many flavours of the season. I see we are going to have fewer dishes to wash after the party than usual with all these vegetable vessels. Well done again!
Aha! Isn’t that one of the best things about natural bowls? I’m not too fond of washing dishes! Thanks again, Hilda, for being my co-host buddy! I really appreciate doing this with you! 😀
Woohoo, way to make an entrance Julianna! Love that gorgeous salad and the presentation in a pumpkin is genius!! Hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving 🙂 Happy FF!
So glad you like it, Naina! I did have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I think you live in Sweden, right? Do you celebrate Thanksgiving?
No I live in Denmark, close enough 🙂 But no, we have no thanksgiving here. Christmas and Easter are the biggest celebrations like in most of Europe xx
I adore this, such a fab idea and perfect for autumn and thanksgiving, either of them!
Thanks so much, Michelle!
This is gorgeous Julianna xx
Oh, thanks so much, Melissa. I appreciate it!
What a wonderful arrangement! You really capture those autumn colours with this dish – or is it an Indian summer? Thanks for co-hosting again this week, it’s such a great way to party without having to brave the elements (no Indian summer here in London, I’m afraid)
Happy FF,
Ginger
So glad you like it, Ginger! I really love these colours – so warm and cozy! And I do agree about the virtual parties! Fall is pretty much upon us here in BC! The weather is warmer than usual, but it’s definitely fall. Have a good week!
I feel like grabbing that bowl now, it looks so good! Thank you for hosting the party this week too, Julianna. You and Hilda rock!
Aww, you are very kind, Aspara! I wish I could just give you a bowl! 😀
This looks amazing! I love all of these flavors and its gorgeous displayed in the pumpkin.
So glad everybody loves the pumpkin! I’m no good at carving jack-o-lanterns, but, I know how to stuff ’em !
[…] Julianna […]
Thanksgiving is something quite new to me, since we don’t celebrate it in Italy. I have to admit that I’ve immediately appreciated the tradition you have for celebrating it, especially those related to food! The rice you made looks very tasty and very healthy too… love the presentation you came up with! I hope you’ll have a great we!
Well, thanks so much, Margy! I think the Italians have many holidays related to food, don’t they? I do know that Italians understand good food! Which is why I love your blog so much! Really glad that you like this dish! You have a great week too! 😀
Julianna, you should write a book and publish all your beautiful salads. This one is wonderful and the presentation un petit chef d’oeuvre. Thank you for co-hosting this week Fiesta Friday 🙂
Oh Linda, you are too kind! I was looking at my index the other day and I realized how many salad recipes I have! Maybe I will just make an iBook or something for my family! Really glad that you like the rice salad recipe! Have a wonderful week! 😀
This looks amazing! And I’ve been craving butternut squash like crazy recently 🙂
Mmm, just love butternut squash! There are so many recipes you can make with it. I never knew how versatile it was until I started blogging! Have an awesome week and get out there and make something with butternut squash! 🙂
What a creative and yummy salad idea. Looks so festive too!
Thanks for sharing the recipe, Julianna.
Love,
Sandhya
Thanks so much, Sandhya! My pleasure!
Wow beautiful presentation and love your dressing with spices and cider vinegar. .. absolutely delish and healthy dish….. 🙂 🙂
Thanks so much, Chitra! I like delicious and healthy! 🙂 🙂
This rice salad looks delicious! I love the mix with the wild rice and the roasted butternut. Beautiful pictures 🙂
Hey Petra! Coming from you, I really appreciate this! 🙂
I love your presentation and also this salad Julianna. A wild rice salad would be a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving 🙂
Hi Judi! So glad you like the presentation! Maybe you can try it for American Thanksgiving? Have a great week! 😀
oh so fabulous Julianna, can I have one of these right now!!! 😉
Absolutely! Coming right at you through the net! 😀
What a delicious looking salad – so colourful, varied and creative. And I love the serving-in-a-pumpkin idea! Very seasonal 🙂
Thanks so much! Really glad you like it!
It looks amazing, I love the presentation 😍😍 enjoy FF, thank you for co hosting again xx
Thanks so much, Elaine! It was fun, putting all this good stuff in the pumpkin! I hate carving jack-o-lanterns, but stuffing is too easy! 😀
Ha ha! I’m tempted to give it a go 🙂
Oh wow! What a gorgeous dish Julianna and so beautifully presented in the pumpkin! Hope that you and your family had a very happy Thanksgiving!
It was a wonderful Thanksgiving, Margot! Really happy you like this recipe!
Oh, yummy! 😀 I do like rice or any cereal served in pumpkin/squash! or even more when it’s baked in it! I’ve posted the recipe with whole baked pumpkin, tasty too! 🙂
Mmm, sounds lovely! I’m going to go and look for it! 🙂
Love how you used the pumpkin as a bowl! Great idea!
Thanks so much! 🙂
Looks so delicious and so well presented.
Thanks, Sonal!
Absolutely amazing . Stunning and Flavorful 🙂
Thanks, SKD! I really appreciate you enthusiasm! 😀
Love the festive presentation, Julianna! Beautiful dish, beautiful ingredients and sounds so delicious too!