Name: Cranberry Brussel Sprout Wild Rice Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: For the Salad; 1 pound Brussels sprouts, tough bottoms removed; 3 cups loosely packed arugula; 1 ½ cups cooked wild rice; ½ cup dried cranberries or cherries; ½ cup dried apricots, cut into slivers; ⅔ cup coarsely chopped walnuts; 1 red-skinned apple, peel on, cut into thin half-moon pieces (I use the mandoline slicer for this). If you like, cut the half-moon slices in half again.; 2 teaspoons Dijon or country-style mustard; 2 to 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste; 1 medium shallot, peeled and finely diced; 1 garlic clove, minced; ¼ cup apple cider vinegar; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; Salt and black pepper to taste

Sides

Cranberry Brussel Sprout Wild Rice Salad

Author: Mary DiSomma

A great salad should not only taste good, but also look appetizing and have an interesting texture. This recipe checks all the boxes! Shaved Brussels sprouts are so satisfying! Iceberg lettuce? No thanks! I also like to throw in some dried fruits, along with some thinly sliced red apples, for some color and sweetness. The wild rice in this simple salad recipe adds interest and heartiness, and for some added crunch, a handful of chopped walnuts goes a long way! The dressing is light and refreshing. Tart, tangy, sweet, and nutritious—you couldn’t ask for a better salad! Try it withmy roasted leg of lamb recipe for a complete meal.

Herb Garlic Leg of Lamb Roast➝

Cranberry Brussel Sprout Wild Rice Salad

Ingredient Tips

Wild rice is actually not rice at all. I was surprised when I first learned this fact! It’s actually an aquatic grass that grows in marshy areas. It’s the only cereal grain native to North America. Wild rice is a versatile ingredient that I love to add to salads and soups to make them heartier. If you’ve never made wild rice before, don’t worry. The cooking process is similar to white or brown rice! It does take longer to cook—make sure to check out my article on how to cook wild rice to get all my best tips and tricks.

How to Cook Wild Rice➝

Preparation + Preservation Tips

There are a few different methods I like to get nice, thinly shaved Brussels sprouts for salads. The easiest way is to put them through a food processor fitted with a thin slicing blade. If you do use this method, take your time! You want thin slices, but you do not want them over-shredded. If you’re careful and prefer doing it by hand, a mandoline slicer is a great tool to get nice, thin, even shaves. Just be careful with your fingertips!

Of course, you can chop your Brussels sprouts by hand. My years of practice as a surgeon really show up when I’m using my knife skills in the kitchen. Who would’ve thought? In fact, I used to do a ton of needlework to practice my fine motor skills and I still have a lot of them! You don’t need to be a surgeon to slice vegetables perfectly, though. It just takes some practice :)

You can definitely make this salad ahead of time, but I’d highly recommend keeping the salad mixture undressed until you’re ready to serve it. The texture is everything in this salad, and you want it to remain super crisp. So adding the dressing right before serving does the trick!

Extra Tips

Mary’s Easy Italian Broccoli Salad➝

Classic French Niçoise Salad with Tonnino Tuna➝

Mary’s No-Mayo Farmers Market Potato Salad➝

Mary’s Italian Chopped Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette➝

Grilled Artichoke Heart and White Bean Salad➝

Mary’s Beet and Goat Cheese Salad➝