Wild Rice Salad (Healthy Mediterranean Meal Prep)
Servings: 4 people
- 3 cups (420 g) cooked wild rice or 1½ cups uncooked — Pre-cooked wild rice packets work great for faster cooking.
- 1 can chickpeas 15 oz / 400 g can — drained and rinsed — or 1½ cups / 230 g cooked chickpeas
- 1 fennel bulb quartered then thinly sliced - sub celery, napa cabbage, or green apple
- 2 carrot shredded
- 1 small shallot or a sweet red onion
- ½ cup (70 g) olives Taggiasche, Castelvetrano, or Kalamata
- ½ cup (50 g) walnuts
- ¼ cup (1 handful) Italian parsley chopped
For the Dressing
- 3 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons orange juice or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest or lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons mustard yellow or Dijon
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste + black pepper
- Before You Start (Raw Rice Only): If using uncooked wild rice, boil 1 cup dry rice in plenty of water until the grains split and turn tender. Drain and cool. Pre-cooked wild rice packets work great if you want to skip this step.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
- Marinate the Chickpeas: Add 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed). Toss well and let them sit while you prep the vegetables. This helps them soak up flavor.
- Prep the salad ingredients: Add 3 cups cooked wild rice to a large mixing bowl. Slice 1 fennel bulb thinly, shred 2 carrot, slice 1 small shallot, chop ½ cup walnuts, and chop ¼ cup Italian parsley. Add everything to the bowl along with ½ cup olives.
- Combine and taste: Pour the marinated chickpeas and all the dressing over the salad. Mix well until everything is coated. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or orange juice if you like. Serve right away or store in the fridge.
Substitutions
- Wild rice → Use pre-cooked packets for speed. Substitute quinoa, buckwheat, farro, couscous, or orzo.
- Chickpeas → Replace with white beans, lentils, canned tuna, or flaked salmon.
- Fennel → Swap with celery, napa cabbage, cucumber, or thinly sliced green apple.
- Carrots → Use shaved zucchini or chopped bell peppers.
- Shallot → Substitute red onion, scallions, or sweet onion.
- Olives → Black or green olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, or roasted peppers.
- Walnuts → Replace with almonds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, or sunflower seeds.
- Parsley → Use basil, mint, or dill.
- Orange → Substitute lemon juice/zest, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar.
- Mustard → Replace with a splash of vinegar plus a pinch of garlic powder.
- Use pre-cooked wild rice for a true no-fuss meal and quick make-ahead lunches.
- Marinate the chickpeas for 10 minutes to remove the canned taste and boost flavor.
- Slice the fennel thinly so it stays crisp and blends into every bite.
- Don’t skip the zest—orange or lemon gives the salad its bright Mediterranean flavor.
- Taste and adjust with extra citrus or salt to make the whole dish come alive.
- Add plenty of herbs like parsley, basil, mint, or dill for fresh flavor.
- Customize the grain with quinoa or farro for an easy Mediterranean rice salad variation.
- Boost the protein with tuna, salmon, feta, or chopped boiled eggs if you want a heartier meal.
- Storage: Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days, and while it’s best fresh, you can freeze it for up to one month.
