Cold Wild Rice Salad

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 16
Yield: 16 servings

Description

This cold wild rice salad recipe features bell peppers, celery, cranberries, scallions, pine nuts, walnuts, and a rice wine vinegar-basil vinaigrette.

Ingredients

4 (6 ounce) packages long grain and wild rice mix (such as Uncle Ben's®)
8 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 teaspoons walnut oil
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1 medium green bell pepper, minced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, minced
1 cup minced celery
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
2/3 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup walnut oil

Directions

1 Place rice in a large saucepan; discard seasoning packets. Add chicken broth; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Spread rice onto a baking sheet to cool.
2 Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over low heat until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to a large bowl.
3 Add 2 teaspoons walnut oil to the same skillet; add walnuts. Toast until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes; add to pine nuts.
4 Add cooled rice, bell peppers, celery, cranberries, and scallions to nuts; toss well.
5 Place rice wine vinegar, basil, Dijon, garlic, and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until blended. Slowly drizzle olive oil and ¼ cup walnut oil through the chute with the motor running until combined.
6 Toss rice salad with vinaigrette until coated. Chill before serving, 4 hours.