Wild Rice & Arugula Salad with Maple Tahini Vinaigrette

This Wild Rice & Arugula Salad with Maple Tahini Vinaigrette could affectionally be called a "kitchen sink" salad - with grains, arugula, beets, apples, chickpeas, and more, there's a lot going on in this bowl!

That said, all the flavors and textures in this wild rice salad just work. It's a fantastic hearty salad for lunches; just pair with chicken or salmon for a filling meal.

This is the kind of salad you replace a meal with. Not just because of the nutrition, but because it's packed with so many foods!

On its own, this salad has 18g protein per serving - you can really boost the protein by pairing with Easy Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken or Gluten Free Fajita Chicken!

Crisp arugula, chewy wild rice, creamy chickpeas and feta, beets with a little give - there's a lot going on in this salad and you'll be anything but bored eating it! Want a similarly surprising salad? Try Celery Salad with Dates & Walnuts next!

Ingredients of note

WILD RICE: Wild rice is chewy, nutty, and has more protein than traditional rice - literally twice as much. Plus, it doesn't get as mushy as traditional rice, so it holds up well for salads like this one or another favorite, Wild Rice Salad with Chicken & Kale!

ARUGULA: Peppery arugula gives a boost of greens to this grain salad! I like to chop my arugula before tossing in a salad like this. Up to you whether you'd like to do the same.

CHICKPEAS/GARBANZO BEANS: Canned chickpeas provide protein and fiber, which is why I originally tossed them in this salad. I was surprised how much I like the inclusion, so they stayed in the final recipe! Make sure to rinse and drain the chickpeas as much as possible.

BEETS: Use whatever beets you can get your hands on, whether they are golden, red, or striped. If you'd like to use pre-cooked beets or leftover Roasted Beets with Parsley, go for it - it will save you a step.

APPLES: Use crisp, tart apples for this recipe. I like Gala or Fuji apples, but Honeycrisp would work well here, too!

TAHINI: Sesame seeds have a flavor that's entirely unique, so the tahini in the dressing is pretty non-negotiable. I've used it for salads like Orange Kale Salad with Citrus Tahini Dressing for years!

You can make your own tahini by blending sesame seeds in a food processor until a paste is formed, or buy a good-quality brand (I like Once Again or Joyva) that don't blend in any extra ingredients.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

Preparing this salad is pretty straightforward! While the beets roast, you can prep the rest of the ingredients.

• Make wild rice. Prep the wild rice according to package directions or whatever your favorite method is. Mine is in the recipe below! You can prep the wild rice in advance if you'd like to save time.
• Prep and roast beets. Trim beets and cut into 1" cubes. Spread them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Roast for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
• Make dressing. Whisk tahini, maple syrup, sesame oil, and white wine vinegar together in a medium bowl.
• Assemble salad. Once the wild rice and beets cool, toss everything together in large mixing bowl with dressing.

Top Tips from Chelsea

- Adjust as needed. You could call this a "kitchen sink" salad, with lots of flavors and textures going on. If you aren't feeling an ingredient, just skip it! Or make a swap like walnuts for pumpkin seeds, squash for beets, etc.

- Pair with protein. Make this salad a meal by pairing with protein! You can toss chopped chicken right into the salad or pair with Perfect Crispy Skillet Chicken Thighs or Chili Blackened Salmon.

- Chop your arugula. This could just be me, but I swear chopping arugula makes it work better for salads with several ingredients like this! Think of it like a chopped salad. This is entirely optional, but worth trying!