Fall does not really equal salad. More like beef stew or chicken pot pie. However, this crispy wild rice fall harvest salad is here for when you really want a salad, but with cozy vibes. Hearty kale is tossed in a maple shallot dressing with roasted Delicata squash, portobello mushrooms, a burst of pomegranate seeds and crispy toasted wild rice. Feel free to add some grilled chicken or steak strips!

ingredients for crispy wild rice fall harvest salad

What you need:

Kale- I used common curly kale. It's the perfect base to hold all the goodies.
Delicata squash - a winter squash with an oblong shape and striped yellow skin. It tastes similar to a butternut squash. I love the size of it! It's the perfect amount for the salad.
Portobello mushrooms- They are incredibly flavorful when roasted.
Pomegranate seeds- for a bright fresh pop
Crispy wild rice- it's a great way to add a nutty crunch in a unique way. Cooked rice is completely cooled, then tossed with oil and seasonings and baked until crunchy.
Maple shallot vinaigrette: lemon juice, maple syrup, shallot, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper

How to make crispy wild rice fall harvest salad

Start by crisping up the rice. Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the cooked and cooled rice on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 35-40 minutes, tossing halfway through.
In the meanwhile, prepare the squash and mushrooms. Place sliced mushrooms on 1 prepared baking sheet and sliced squash on the second pan.
Drizzle each pan with ½ tablespoon olive oil; season with salt.
Remove the rice from the oven and lower the oven to 375F. Roast mushrooms for about 20 minutes and squash for 20 -25 minutes.
Whisk together the dressing and set aside.
To serve, massage the kale with the dressing then add in the veggies, pomegranate seeds and crispy wild rice.

Making in advance:

All the components can be prepared ahead of time. Store the kale, dressing, and roasted veggies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store the crispy rice in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Tips for crispy wild rice fall salad:

Massage the dressing into the kale. It makes it much easier to eat by breaking down the tough fibers.

The rice needs to be completely cool before tossing with the oil. It's best to use rice that was refrigerated overnight.

Feel free to add protein to the salad like sliced steak or grilled chicken.

Crispy wild rice fall harvest salad

Hearty kale is tossed in a maple shallot dressing with roasted Delicata squash, portobello mushrooms, a burst of pomegranate seeds and crispy toasted wild rice

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Salad

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Salad

3.5 oz green kale
1 tablespoon olive oil divided
salt to taste
2 portobello mushroom caps halved, then quartered
1 medium Delicata squashed halves and sliced into quarters
¼ c pomegranate seeds

Crispy wild rice

2 cups cooked and cooled wild rice
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
pinch of ground black pepper

Maple shallot dressing

½ lemon juiced
1 small shallot finely diced
2 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ c extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoon salt
pinch of ground black pepper

Method

Start by crisping up the rice. Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the cooked and cooled rice on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 35-40 minutes, tossing halfway through.
In the meanwhile, prepare the squash and mushrooms. Place sliced mushrooms on 1 prepared baking sheet and sliced squash on the second pan.
Drizzle each pan with ½ tablespoon olive oil; season with salt.
Remove the rice from the oven and lower the oven to 375F. Roast mushrooms for about 20 minutes and squash for 20 -25 minutes.
Whisk together the dressing and set aside.
To serve, massage the kale with the dressing then add in the veggies, pomegranate seeds and crispy wild rice.