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J. Alexander's Wild Rice and Orzo Salad

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A deliciously fresh and colorful wild rice and orzo salad with a champagne vinaigrette. Serve this with salmon or shrimp, grilled chicken or as a meatless main dish.
Course Salads, Side Dishes
Cuisine American
Keyword easy, orzo, salad, side dish, summer salad, wild rice
Prep Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 servings
Calories 290
Author Laurie McNamara

Ingredients

FOR THE CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE:

  • 1 tablespoon thinly slice fresh basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 3 cups cooked wild rice blend 1-1/2 cups uncooked
  • 2 cups cooked red winter wheat berries about 1 cup uncooked
  • 2 cups cooked orzo pasta about 1 cup uncooked - I like DeLallo brand
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely diced orange bell peppers
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
  • 1 cup corn kernels thawed if frozen
  • 1/3 finely diced red onion
  • 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
  • 1/3 cup dried zante currants
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl add in the basil, oregano, thyme and garlic. Add in the sugar, pour in the champagne vinegar and whisk while drizzling in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set off to the side.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cooked wild rice, wheat berries, orzo, peppers, corn, onion, almonds, currants and parsley. Toss to combine.
  • Pour in the champagne and herb vinaigrette, toss and either serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

To speed this up, cook the wild rice and wheat berries (separately) the day before. Before storing, measure each of the cooked grains so you know you have the right amounts. This will save you a lot of time when it comes to making the salad the day of.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 556IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg