Sometimes the hardest part of a meal is coming up with a good side. Shake things up with my flavor packed Wild Rice Salad with Corn and Queso Fresco.
Most of our dinners fall into 2 categories:
- one pot or pan dinner that has protein, veggies, carbs and healthy fats all in one. No sides needed.
- a protein main and separate sides (with veggies, carb and healthy fat).
I find that following one of these 2 meals types makes dinner time a whole lot easier. The key to both of these is to change things up and aim for good variety.
Obviously that is way easier said than done!
Sometimes I have the hardest time coming up with different exciting sides. Does that ever happen to you? It’s like my mind goes totally blank and all I can think of are the same old sides we always eat… green beans, corn on the corb… blah 👎
Enter my Wild Rice Salad with Corn and Queso Fresco! A totally creative, healthy and tasty way to spice up your side game!
We love this salad because….
- It’s got protein, calcium, veggies and healthy fat all in one recipe!
- It’s super easy to make.
- It saves well and makes a killer leftover.
With sweet corn in peak season right now, it’s a perfect time to make this salad. Doesn’t mean you can’t make it in the fall or winter months though! Canned corn works well here too!
Once you have the corn, all you need is the rice, some green onions, pecans, and delicious queso fresco. That’s it, 5 main ingredients and a simple vinaigrette.
To make this recipe even more fuss-free, I would strongly recommend making the rice ahead of time. Since wild rice and wild rice blends take so long, it makes sense to add it to your Sunday food prep and get it done early. Then during the week all you have to do is throw the salad together, and make a main protein.
At our house, we love this salad as a side for steak, fish, grilled chicken, or juicy pork chops. It can also be a main with chicken, steak, chickpeas or crispy tofu thrown in. I also love it as a lunch!
No more stressing about what side to make! The hubs is grilling a steak and I’m making this winner salad tonight! BOOM DONE!
Equipment
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Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice or wild rice blend*, rinsed
- 2 ears of corn, husked
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (a little less than half a standard 10 oz wheel)
- 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced or grated
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Whisk garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, and cumin powder in a small bowl to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually add oil until emulsified; season with salt and pepper.
- Cook wild rice in a small saucepan of boiling lightly salted water until tender, 35–45 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- If using fresh corn: Bring another large pot full of water to boil. Drop in freshly shucked corn into the boiling water. Make sure each ear is covered in water. Cook for 7-8 minutes and drain. Let cool, and then carefully cut kernels off the cob.
- If using canned corn: open can and drain corn.
- In a medium serving bowl, combine corn, green onions, pecans wild rice, queso fresco. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
Rice and dressing can be cooked 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Queso Fresco is a mild, delicious and gluten free Mexican cheese that is easy to find and very affordable. Currently you can find queso fresco at Target, Aldi, most grocery stores, and local Mexican markets. However feta cheese is a great alternative.
Originally posted 2017-08-21 06:00:06.
Lisa Hockett says
Valerie says