Beetroot and wild rice salad: Light and healthy summer meal

The summer heat is bearing down and you might be looking for something light to enjoy for lunch or dinner. Salads are a great way to go and with some great crunch, sweetness and a tangy dressing, you have a great meal ahead of you. Not only is this beetroot and wild rice salad all of the above, but it’s also great as a holiday braai side. The beetroot is nice and crunchy with the candied nuts adding more texture and sweetness.

Beetroot and wild rice salad tips

Pecan nuts aren’t too hard to deal with and are nice and soft. the candied coating adds more crunch and sweetness. You can also use any other nuts that you enjoy. Beetroot is packed with important nitrates that help with blood circulation and if you are an endurance athlete, this salad is even better for you. The ingredients can be made ahead of time but is best served as fresh as possible.

ALSO READ: Roasted sweet potato and chickpeas

Whether you want a tasty braai side or a healthy lunch meal on a hot summers day, try our beetroot and wild rice salad.

Beetroot and wild rice salad recipe

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Recipe by Marele van Zyl Course: SideCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Total time

25

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 2 medium beets, roasted or boiled, peeled, and diced or sliced in small wedges.

• 4 cups 4 cooked wild rice

• 1 handfuls 1 baby rocket leaves

• ⅓ cup ⅓ thinly sliced red onion

• 2-3 tbsp 2-3 seeds of choice

• ⅓ cup ⅓ feta cheese crumbles

• For the spiced and candied pecans

• 1⁄4 cup 1⁄4 brown sugar

• 1⁄2 tsp 1⁄2 chipotle powder

• 1 pinch 1 salt

• 1 tbsp 1 water

• 1 cup 1 pecan halves

• For the dressing

• 1⁄4 cup 1⁄4 olive oil

• 2 tbsp 2 balsamic vinegar (or more to taste)

• 1 tsp 1 Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp 1 honey

• 1 pinch 1 salt

Method

• For the salad
• Put the wild rice in a serving bowl and toss with the dressing. Add more salt to taste.
• Toss the dressed rice with the rocket.
• Arrange the beets and red onion slivers on top, followed by the pecans, seeds, and crumbled feta.
• For the candied pecans
• Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment. Set aside.
• Put the sugar, chipotle, salt, and water in a small skillet and heat over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture liquefies and becomes bubbly.
• Stir in the pecans, so they get coated in the caramel syrup, and, stirring constantly, continue to cook them for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to over-cook them, or cook them over too high a heat, because they can burn.
• Pour them onto the parchment paper and separate them as best you can with your spoon. Let them cool before using. Set aside 1⁄2 cup for this salad, and save the rest for snacking, or more salads.
• Put all the ingredients in a jar with a cap and shake until thick and emulstified. Taste to adjust any of the ingredients.

Notes

• Note: you can reserve some of the dressing to add later if you like, especially if you aren’t planning on serving the salad right away, since the rice will absorb some of the dressing over time.

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