My beet and wild rice salad with spiced pecans goes from packable lunch to holiday table without missing a beat! (Get it?) This superfood salad is not only super healthy, it’s super delish.

beet and wild rice salad in a wooden bowl

beet and wild rice salad earns superfood status

This delicious salad earns a place on your table because it’s full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatories, and antioxidants. It’s pretty, too, and the ingredients are pitch perfect for the season, so consider adding it to your holiday menu plans. Grain and rice based salads are also great for stashing in the fridge for quick healthy lunches ~ they last and last, keeping their chewy texture and crunch for days. This one is no exception. The satisfaction factor with the buttery beets and the earthy wild rice is off the charts!

If you haven’t cooked with wild rice before, what are you waiting for? It’s the perfect ingredient to add to your soups, salads, and dinners for a cozy fall vibe.

beet and wild rice salad with candied pecans

what you’ll need for this wild rice salad

This is a simple salad that focuses on two or three star ingredients (plus a couple of supporting actors) for maximum impact.

beets, roasted and chopped or cut in small wedges.
wild rice, cooked al dente. It has a wonderful chewy texture. (It’s not actually a rice, it’s a wild aquatic grass.)
baby arugula ~ mixing grains or rice with fresh greens is one of my favorite tricks for fall and winter skewing salads, just be sure to use sturdy greens like arugula, spinach, or kale.
feta cheese ~ those bright white crumbles punctuate the dish both visually and flavor-wise.
red onion ~ the bite from red onion wakes up a salad, I dare you to find a salad recipe on the site that doesn’t include onion in some form, it’s a must-have.
pepitas ~ (the tender green inner kernels of pumpkin seeds) for a bit of color and seasonal crunch.
spiced pecans
balsamic dressing

make a creamy balsamic dressing

olive oil
balsamic vinegar
mustard
honey

Blend the ingredients vigorously with a whisk, or immersion blender to create a thick creamy consistency. The honey and mustard help the oil and vinegar to emulsify into that thick creamy dressing we all love. I like it because it clings to the salad and enhanced every bite, rather than sinking to the bottom of the bowl!

beet and wild rice salad topped with crumbled feta cheese

why this salad works

The flavors, textures, and visuals of this salad work in harmony to make a satisfying and sophisticated salad that’s definitely holiday worthy.

BEETS are earthy with a subtle sweetness, and when you cook them just right, they have a buttery texture unlike any other veg. They glow like little gems in this salad.

WILD RICE is another earthy in flavor, with an absolutely wonderful chewy texture. The deep rich color is so appealing to the eye, especially when you pair it with the crimson beets.

ARUGULA has a slight bitter note, and adds a leafy freshness to every bite. The greens are an unexpected way to lighten this salad.

FETA CHEESE is famous for pulling a dish together with its sharp bite and pop of pure white.

SPICED CANDIED PECANS lend an intense element of sweet and heat, plus a really crisp crunch.

BALSAMIC VINEGAR and honey are balanced by olive oil and mustard to make a sweet but not too sweet dressing.

more beautiful fall salads

Beet and Wild Rice Salad

5 from 8 votes

My beet and wild rice salad with spiced pecans goes from packable lunch to holiday table ~ this superfood salad is healthy and super delicious!!

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Prep Time:20

Total Time:20

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

2 medium beets, roasted or boiled, peeled, and diced or sliced in small wedges.
4 cups cooked wild rice
2 handfuls of baby arugula
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
2-3 Tbsp pepitas
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles

spiced candied pecans (this will make more than you need for this salad)

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
pinch salt
1 Tbsp water
1 cup pecan halves

dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (or more to taste)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
pinch salt

Instructions

to make the salad

Put the wild rice in a serving bowl and toss with the dressing. Add more salt to taste. Note: you can reserve some of the dressing to add later if you like, especially if you aren't planning on serving the salad right away, since the rice will absorb some of the dressing over time.
Toss the dressed rice with the arugula.
Arrange the beets and red onion slivers on top, followed by the pecans, pepitas, and crumbled feta.

to make the candied pecans

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment, or a silpat mat. Set aside.
Put the sugar, chipotle, salt, and water in a small skillet and heat over medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture liquifies and becomes bubbly.
Stir in the pecans, so they get coated in the caramel syrup, and, stirring constantly, continue to cook them for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to over cook them, or cook them over too high a heat, because they can burn.
Pour them onto the parchment paper and separate them as best you can with your spoon. Let them cool before using. Set aside 1/2 cup for this salad, and save the rest for snacking, or more salads.

to make the dressing

Put all the ingredients in a jar with a cap and shake until thick and emulstified. Taste to adjust any of the ingredients.

Notes

To roast beets, trim greens and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with foil and roast in a 400F oven for 1-2 hours, or until the tip of a sharp knife pierces the flesh easily. When cool enough to handle, peel and dice or slice.
To cook wild rice, measure out 1 heaping cup of rice and add to 4 cups of boiling water. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 50 minutes, or until tender to the taste. Drain.
If your spiced pecans remain sticky and do not dry to a nice crunchy texture, you did not cooked them long enough.

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: bean salad, beets, fall, Thanksgiving, wild rice

Nutrition

Calories: 257 kcal · Carbohydrates: 32 g · Protein: 6 g · Fat: 13 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g · Cholesterol: 6 mg · Sodium: 119 mg · Potassium: 296 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 12 g · Vitamin A: 203 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 62 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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5 from 8 votes (4 ratings without comment)