Lemony Wild Rice Salad
Updated July 9, 2026
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Ready In
- 55 min
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
6 cups water
1½ cups wild rice
Sea salt
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 bunch scallions
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (about 1 pint)
1 cup pitted green olives
1 packed cup parsley leaves and tender stems
1 (6- to 8-ounce) package feta
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
37 grams carbs; 29 milligrams cholesterol; 364 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 20 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 1026 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and 1 teaspoon salt; adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer with bubbles breaking across the surface. Partially cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and mustard until smooth. Prep the vegetables: Thinly slice the scallions, halve the tomatoes and olives (quartering any large ones), roughly chop the parsley and crumble the feta. Mix everything but the feta into the bowl with the dressing. Season lightly with salt and let sit until the rice is done.
- Step 3
Drain any excess water from the rice, then stir and shake the rice to cool slightly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice to the dressing, tossing to combine. Mix in the feta. Season to taste with salt. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Private Notes
Comments
In other words, you did not make the published recipe at all. Long grain rice is not a substitute for wild rice!
I giggled at the ‘modifications’ made by Knit Gemini. Different rice, dressing and onion plus added chicken: sounds like a whole new dish! I followed the recipe to a T but found it pleasant, but not outstanding. Could use added greens, or perhaps French lentils for chew or toasted walnuts for crunch. Wished I had added a bit of garlic to the dressing. And beware, it makes a lot!
I would not add salt when cooking the wild rice or to the dressing. Feta cheese is tremendously salty all on its own. I would cool the wild rice to just above room temperature before adding it to the dressing and vegetables so as not to cook (actually, wilt) the vegetables. Only after mixing all the ingredients together would I taste and determine if the salad needed additional salt. Yes, these steps add a little extra time, but should result in a properly seasoned and not over-salted salad.
Following on note of yesterday: Ate leftovers for lunch today. Had forgotten to take out of fridge to come to room temperature. No worries. Still wonderful!
Wanting to make this a meal salad, I halved the wild rice and added black lentils (1/2 cup. I cooked each well in advance. Assembly a few hours later was easy. Delish!
This recipe makes a TON of wild rice so take that into account. That aside, this salad was a nice base addition to my rotation for lunch. I added in some palm hearts one day and shredded chicken on another. Easy and flavorful!