Packed with all kinds of fall goodness and tossed in a maple orange dressing, this harvest wild rice salad is the perfect fall side dish for any occasion!

Fall salads like this one are just another reminder that salad season doesn’t stop just cause the temperatures are cooler! If anything, we’re just getting more creative with it.
Enter, the most loaded wild rice salad you’ll ever have the pleasure of piling your plate with. Seriously, I packed this one to capacity and it’s a thing of beauty.
We’ve got all the fall works at play here today including crisp apples, toasted nuts, salty pepitas, sweet maple dressing, and even some juicy pomegranate seeds for some extra color!

The wild rice in this salad makes it incredibly hearty and more than worthy for any dinner table, packed lunch, or even a side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Just don’t forget to taste test it straight from the bowl first like I did.
This Rice Salad features…
- Hearty wild rice and greens
- Crisp apples, toasted pecans, and pepitas
- Tangy feta, sweet pomegranate seeds, and a hint of fresh rosemary
- A sweet and tangy maple orange vinaigrette

Making the Salad
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Orange
- Maple syrup
- Dijon mustard
- Apple cider vinegar
- Olive oil
- Wild rice
- Apple
- Pecans
- Pomegranate seeds
- Feta cheese
- Pepitas
- Spring greens mix
- Rosemary
How to Cook Wild Rice
Using the following method will yield you about 2 cups of cooked wild rice which is the amount this salad calls for.
Bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil over medium-high, add 3/4 cup wild rice, reduce heat to low, cover pot, and allow to simmer 35-40 minutes until the wild rice is tender. Drain any excess liquid from pot and allow wild rice to cool.

Tips for Perfect Salad
- Use fresh orange in dressing – both fresh orange juice and zest adds a lot of citrus flavor to the dressing.
- Toast pecans – this adds an incredible crunch to the salad and brings out the nutty flavors. To toast pecans, toss them around in a nonstick pan over medium heat 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
- Serve salad immediately after assembly – this keeps all the ingredients fresh and crisp. Keep reading for make-ahead tips!
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this salad.
- Try a different nut – try toasted almonds or walnuts in place of the pecans.
- Use pears – a diced pear works great in place of the apple.
- Swap out cheeses – try cubed sharp cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, goat cheese, or blue cheese.
Make Ahead Instructions
Follow these instructions for time-saving make ahead tips.
- Make dressing – the dressing stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days.
- Cook wild rice – cooked wild rice stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days.
- Toast pecans – toast the pecans, allow to cool, and store in an airtight container up to 1 week.
- Assembly – once salad is assembled and tossed in dressing, I recommend serving it immediately so the greens stay crisp.

The variety of flavors and textures in this salad just work to perfection together. The sweet maple orange dressing is really the secret weapon here and coats every inch of the wild rice and other ingredients with all its goodness.
More than a worthy choice for any fall table! Just make sure you have the recipe on standby for all the requests you’re about to get.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

More hearty fall salads to make next!
Harvest Wild Rice Salad
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
Orange Maple Dressing
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Wild Rice Salad
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
- 1 medium gala or honeycrisp apple, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or halves), toasted
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 3 cups firmly-packed spring greens mix
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Orange Maple Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk orange juice, zest, maple syrup, mustard, and vinegar until smooth. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly until dressing is smooth. Season dressing with salt and pepper to taste and set aside for a moment.
Wild Rice Salad
- Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Pour dressing over top and toss until salad is evenly combined. Season salad with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 11/7/24.
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says
I love the combo of butternut squash and beets in one salad – good choice! This sounds healthy, hearty, and delicious, Sarah!
Sarah says
Thanks Sarah! This salad sounds right up your alley. 😉
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen says
Sarah, what a beautiful salad! It is really a fall recipe! Love all the colours and flavours in here 😉
Sarah says
Thank you so much Olivia! You’re too sweet. 🙂
Joanne says
Salads like this make me smile like a fool also, so I totally get where you’re coming from! Love that you went with butternut AND beets. Good life choice.
Sarah says
Salads just overall make life brighter. 😀 Thanks Joanne!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Yay for more salads and trying your first pumpkin spice latte 🙂 I love salads all year too and this one is just gorgeous! The beets, butternut squash and wild rice sound amazing together and make such a perfect fall salad! So pretty and delicious! Pinning 🙂
Sarah says
Thanks Kelly! This salad sounds soooo up your alley girl. 🙂 Thanks for pinning as well!
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
Looks so beautiful Sarah! Just a gorgeous medley of colors.
Have an amazing day!
Sarah says
Thanks so much Melanie!
marcie says
This wild rice salad is bursting at the seams with fall goodness — it looks so hearty and delicious, Sarah!
Sarah says
Thanks Marcie! I’m still totally loving the fact that both of our wild rice salads were so similar. 😉
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Love this – especially that it’s a warm salad! So perfect for fall, and all these veggies sound delicious. I bet the leftovers taste amazing too!
Sarah says
Warm salads for the WIN. 🙂 And yes leftovers are delicious! Thanks Rachel!
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
This looks so refreshing! I have been eating so much crap lately, all I want is a big fat bowl of something healthy, and I think I’ve found just the recipe!
Sarah says
It’s like a total bowl of detox. 😉 Only it tastes amazing too!