This beautiful Wild Rice Salad is filled with sweet beets, juicy blood oranges, tender wild rice, and crispy greens. Healthy and delicious, enjoy this fresh and colorful salad topped with Whipped Lemon Ricotta or a light balsamic vinaigrette.
Wild Rice Salad with Beets, Oranges and Whipped Lemon Ricotta
This post was originally published on May 10, 2017
Happy Wednesday, you guys! And oh boy is it happy! Octavian finally slept in later than 5:45 am in what feels like foreverrrr and after a solid 8 hours and 30 minutes of sleep I finally feel like a functional human being again (I should not have been allowed to leave the house yesterday). Since college all-nighters and especially since becoming a mom (<–does anything even compare?) I have learned that there is a vast difference between a). not getting enough sleep or “just being tired” and b). sleep deprivation.
I say I’m tired all the time. I’m not lying, it’s totally true. It comes with carrying a heavy load every single day (a load I love, but a load nonetheless).
And then there’s sleep deprivation.
Sleep deprivation and I know each other very very well. We go WAY back; almost as far as I can remember. Before I became a mom, my sleep issues were thanks to things like depression, anxiety, and chronic insomnia. All three would feed off each other, making it, literally impossible to sleep.
Then I became a mom. I literally slept two (interrupted) hours the first 5 days of Octavian’s life. Those first five days were some of the darkest days of my life. Not because of my child (he was the light in the darkness), but because I needed sleep (and post-partum depression, but we can save that for some other time). The less sleep I got, the further out of reach sleep became. Over the years I have come to accept my highly dysfunctional relationship with sleep. After all, I do love sleep and need sleep to survive and be healthy.
So, you guys, when my child gives me the gift of sleeping until 630 or 7 am, I know it’s going to be a good day.
Do you know what else will make any day a good one?
THIS SALAD!
O M G, YOU GUYS! (<– yes, this is my really excited voice) THIS SALAD!
Just looking at it makes me happy (and hungry!). I am currently all about salads mixed with grains and plain wild rice is my all-time favorite rice. It’s just so basic. The rest of this salad is super easy and that’s exactly what I was going for. Bold, bright, and colorful with different (complimentary) tastes and textures.
This salad totally wins!
I did not include a salad dressing but instead added a side of whipped lemon and goat cheese ricotta (thanks to a little inspiration from Samantha at My Kitchen Love). It was perfect.
How to Make This Wild Rice Salad
With your ingredients ready, this salad should only take approximately 15 minutes or so to make. Feel free to use leftover beets and wild rice, pre-made, or freshly cooked – whatever works with your schedule. All the other ingredients are best fresh.
Here’s what you’re going to need:
- Cooked wild rice
- Cooked beets
- Lemons – zest and juice
- Mixed greens
- Blood oranges or regular oranges
- Toasted walnuts or pecans
- Goat cheese
- Ricotta cheese
- Italian seasoning
The ingredients are a perfect harmony of sweet, savory, earthy, crunchy, and creamy.
Head over and learn how to cook beets and how to cook wild rice.
As soon as the beets and wild rice are ready, the rest is simple. Simply whip together your whipped lemon ricotta and layer your salad. Feel free to arrange and chop the beets and blood oranges however you’d like – large slices, or small bite-size pieces.
More Salad Recipes,
Warm German Potato Salad Recipe
Roasted Beet Salad Recipe with Miso Dressing
If you try making this Wild Rice Salad with Beets, Oranges, and Whipped Lemon Ricotta, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
RECIPE CARD
Wild Rice Salad with Beets, Oranges and Whipped Lemon Ricotta
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked wild rice - cooled
- 2 large red beets - cooked, peeled and sliced
- 2 large yellow beets - cooked, peeled and sliced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 lemon zested
- 5 ounces mixed greens - I had baby kale and arugula on hand at the time
- 2 blood oranges - or regular oranges, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
FOR THE WHIPPED LEMON RICOTTA
- 3 ounces soft goat cheese
- ⅓ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch of salt
- ½ lemon zested
Instructions
- Prepare the whipped lemon ricotta - In a medium bowl combine the goat cheese, ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and lemon zest. Mix everything together until fully combined, smooth, and creamy. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- To the cooked and cooled wild rice, add the juice and zest from 1 lemon. Mix well.
- Assemble - In a large salad bowl place half of the lettuce, followed by half the wild rice and finally, the remaining lettuce. Finish preparing the salad by layering the beets, oranges, and walnuts on top of the lettuce and rice. Place the remaining rice on top of the salad.
- Serve the whipped ricotta and goat cheese on the side or directly on top of the salad.
Jessica's Notes
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Hello Jessica…I am going to make one of your recipes tonight. I love the way you write your blog ! The recipes look delicious and are very easy to follow. I will be letting you know how the chkcken broccoli rice turned out…Your new follower Nancy
Thanks, Nancy, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
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