Asian Rice Salad

Take your potluck in a new direction with this tasty Asian Rice Salad. Dotted with dried apricots and crunchy peanuts, this easy wild rice salad with homemade soy and ginger dressing recipe is tangy, sweet and delicious!
If you want to switch up your usual summer sides with something flavorful and easy to make, you’ll love this Asian wild rice salad with ginger soy dressing. This healthy summer salad goes excellent with Asian-style chicken or tequila pork tenderloin and is delicious with seared tuna.

This recipe starts with wild rice, which is not rice at all. It’s an aquatic grass. I wrote about its origins in this post for Green Bean and Wild Rice Salad. Wild rice is slightly nutty and chewy, the perfect base for this cold rice salad.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Asian wild rice salad
- Wild Rice
- Water
- Orange Juice
- Carrots
- Celery
- Dried Apricots
- Scallions
- Dry Roasted Peanuts

I use equal parts water and orange juice for cooking rice to add a little citrus nuance. Since wild rice takes longer to cook than white and brown rice, you’ll want to get it on the stove before you prep the other ingredients.

While the rice simmers, you can pull together the rest of the veg. The basis for this Asian rice salad starts with a little grated carrot and finely diced celery. (save the celery leaves for later – they’re really good).

Finely chopped dried apricots add a sweet tart flavor to this wild rice salad recipe. You can also try other dried fruit like golden raisins, dried cherries or chopped dried plums, but if you have dried apricots on hand, use ’em.

Combine the apricots, carrots and celery in a bowl with chopped scallions and toss to combine.

When the wild rice is cooked, strain it through a fine mesh strainer and let the rice cool to almost room temperature. (It can still be warm, you just don’t want to add hot rice to the vegetables, otherwise they’ll wilt and won’t have the same texture).

Toss the wild rice with the veggies and apricots.

We like a little crunch in our salads and peanuts (especially Virginia peanuts because they’re larger and crunchier) are my favorite, though you could also use toasted cashews or even almonds if you prefer.

Soy and ginger dressing
The ginger soy dressing is what makes this Asian rice salad so special. Its got a healthy dose of freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, olive oil AND toasted sesame oil, soy sauce (or use Tamari to make it gluten free), rice wine vinegar and honey. You can substitute agave for the honey to make it a vegan salad dressing recipe. The flavors in the easy Asian salad dressing really pop and give this wild rice salad recipe that distinct Asian flavor.

Assembling the wild rice salad
Toss the peanuts and dressing with the salad and sprinkle with reserved chopped celery leaves. You can serve it at room temperature or chilled and it works great either way. This is one of those dishes that no one sees coming. They don’t expect the flavors. They don’t anticipate the crunch and it’s one that you’ll go back to again and again.
How long will Asian rice salad keep?
Though its best served the first day, it will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days — and is better if you add the chopped peanuts just before serving.

Asian wild rice salad with ginger soy dressing is a great side dish for barbecues, potlucks and picnics or a delicious main course for vegetarian and vegan eaters (substitutions included).
More rice recipes you might like:
- Curried Rice Salad
- Green Rice (Arroz Verde)
- Tropical Coconut Mango Rice
- Pickled Cherry Cold Rice Salad
- Saffron Rice
- Basmati Rice Pilaf with Fall Vegetables


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Asian Wild Rice Salad
INGREDIENTS:
For The Rice Salad:
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1 large carrot peeled and shredded
- 1 stalk celery cut into 1/4″ dice (reserve celery leaves for garnish)
- ½ cup dried apricots cut into 1/4″ dice
- 3 scallions sliced
- ? cup dry roasted peanuts chopped
For The Asian Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey (substitute agave for vegan)
DIRECTIONS:
- Add the rice, water and orange juice to a medium saucepan and heat over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 45-60 minutes or until rice is tender. Transfer rice to a mesh strainer and drain excess liquid. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger, garlic, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and honey. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the carrot, celery, apricots and scallions. Add the rice and peanuts and toss to blend. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing and taste for seasoning. If salad needs more seasoning or seems dry add dressing one tablespoon at a time. Chop the reserved celery leaves (about 1 tablespoon) and sprinkle on top of the salad.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
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I made this for a work luncheon and it was a huge hit. I substituted toasted almond slices for the peanuts.
This was so delicious! I added chopped cilantro which added to the Asian flavors.
I needed a larger family salad and only had 1C wild rice so I doubled my amount using some frozen white rice. I didn’t have dried apricots so I substituted Craisins knowing orange juice and cranberries just go together. I also added finely sliced leek for a different texture and bit of onion flavor. The dressing tastes wonderful! Since I made it this morning I’m keeping the dressing separate from the other ingredients until I serve it with an individual peanut garnish. I think my family will love this as much as I do and I definitely will be making this often!
This is a such a good recipe – thank you! It turned out exactly as described, with unexpected flavor and texture. The dressing is incredible, and really makes the dish. The fresh chopped garlic and grated ginger are important to the quality. I used fresh tangerine juice in cooking the rice and would say that yes, you do want the contribution of the juice to the dish. You will see once it is all mixed together and you taste it. Thanks again for this addition to my recipe collection.
Hi Virginia! I’m so glad you enjoyed the rice salad! Tangerine juice sounds terrific in this, will have to try that next time.
This looks amazing! Any suggestions for a substitute for the oj? Orange is a migraine trigger for my husband.
I would just cook the rice with water as you normally would and skip the oj.
I have to try this one! The apricots are intriguing me! It looks so delicious!
Enjoy it, Amina!
I love rice salads – great flavors, lots of veggies, and easy to pack for lunch the next day!
Having leftovers for lunch the next day is one of my main focuses when I make a meal the night before!
I love that you cooked the rice in orange juice!! Bet that adds such a lovely flavour. Looks yummy 🙂
This looks delicious! I especially love the apricots and all the texture!
wow you put apricots in there too? This whole salad is busting with delicious flavors!!!!
I’ve become a big fan of wild rice, I really enjoy the nuttier texture. Love the idea of cooking with part orange juice, and that dressing sounds so delicious!
Thanks, Caroline. It’s a really tasty salad and I hope you enjoy it!