This salad hums with contrast — earthy wild rice, crisp Asian pear, and peppery arugula tied together with a bright vinaigrette. Cardamom and ginger keep things interesting — a reminder that salad doesn’t have to mean predictable. Toasted walnuts add crunch, mint and parsley bring lift, and a drizzle of maple-sweetened white balsamic ties it all together. It’s an easy dish to love: wholesome, colorful, and quietly elegant on any holiday table.
Active time: 25 min • Total time: 1 hr 5 min
4 cups
~3/4 cup
6
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup wild rice
- 4 cups water
- ½ tsp ground cardamom (or 2 crushed pods)
- ½ tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1 Asian pear, cored and peeled (half thinly sliced, half juiced with a citrus press)
- 1 small carrot, diced or julienned
- 1 red bell pepper, small dice
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 3 sprigs mint, minced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced (a few slices reserved for vinaigrette)
- ¼ cup raw or toasted walnuts, toasted & chopped
- 1–2 cups arugula
- Shaved parmesan, optional garnish
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Reserved pear juice
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Reserved shallot slices
Sourcing Tips:
- Fresh ginger makes a difference — skip the powdered kind if you can’t find it fresh.
- You can sub red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar or rice vinegar, but don’t use regular balsamic.
- Feel free to swap in Texas pecans for the walnuts and honey for the maple syrup — as an easy way to lean into local ingredients.
Instructions
- Cook the Rice (45 min)
- Rinse the wild rice, then place it in a small saucepan with water, cardamom, ginger, and garlic.
- Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook 40 minutes — until tender but still chewy. Drain and cool completely.
- Prep the Vegetables (10 min)
- While the rice cooks, dice the carrot and bell pepper, slice the scallions and shallot, and chop the herbs.
- Set aside a couple scallion slices for the vinaigrette and put everything else together in a large bowl.
- Prep the Pear (2 min)
- Make the Vinaigrette (5 min)
- Assemble the Salad (3 min)
- Add the cooled rice to the bowl of vegetables and herbs. Toss gently.
- Just before serving, fold in the arugula and freshly sliced pear. Drizzle with vinaigrette to taste, starting with half and adding more as you like.
- To turn it into a hearty vegetarian entree salad, serve it with a generous snowfall of shaved Parmesan.
Cut the pear in half. Juice one half for the vinaigrette, and set the other aside to slice right before serving so it doesn’t oxidize.
In a blender or food processor, combine the pear juice, avocado oil, maple syrup, vinegar, soy sauce, and a few shallot slices. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
- Ideal Temp: This salad is best served cool or at room temperature, soon after tossing in the arugula.
- Prep Ahead Optionality:
- Cooked rice and chopped vegetables can be prepared a day ahead and stored in the fridge.
- The vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store it in a sealed jar in the fridge and shake well before using.
- Complementary Menu Ideas! This salad plays well with others — roasted sweet potatoes, a crackly-skinned chicken, or anything smoky off the grill.
Did you make this?
Tag @centraltexasthanksgiving and @austinveggiechef on Instagram!