Fast, healthy, and surprisingly addictive, this salad could easily become your go-to dish for barbecues, potlucks, and picnics. It comes together in mere minutes, but be sure to leave time for the salad to chill and the flavors to meld before serving.

Game plan: You’ll need to make the wild rice before you begin.

More wild rice recipes.

  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings (about 7 cups)
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: About 40 mins, plus 1 hr chilling time 
  • Active: 40 mins

Ingredients (13)

  • 1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  • 4 cups cooked wild rice (see Game Plan note)
  • 3 medium scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
  • 2 cups shelled cooked edamame, thawed if frozen
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and small dice
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar, plus more as needed
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Place the almonds in a medium frying pan over medium heat and toast, stirring often, until golden brown (do not let the nuts burn), about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Add the sesame seeds to the pan and toast, stirring often, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the almonds.
  2. Add the rice, scallions, edamame, carrots, and cranberries to the bowl with the almonds and sesame seeds and toss to combine.
  3. Whisk the olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Drizzle over the rice mixture and toss to combine. Taste and season as needed with more salt, pepper, and vinegar. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving.