This Wild Rice and Black Bean Salad is a great one to make in advance and keep in the fridge for easy summer eating. Made with wild rice, black beans and corn all wrapped up in a tangy dressing. Make it in advance and keep it in the fridge for easy lunches.

It’s summer and officially time to break out all the salads and summer food. If you’re looking for a great make ahead salad, keep this on in mind and make it soon!

Here’s What Makes This Salad Great

• Uses pantry staples – This recipe uses wild rice, black beans and corn. All ingredients that you’ll find in your pantry.
• Delicious vinaigrette – This salad is brought together with a delicious tangy vinaigrette that will have you coming back for more.
• Make in advance – It’s great to have things made in advance for the summer. And this salad is no exception, you can make it up to a day before for easy summer eating.

Ingredients For The Wild Rice Salad

• For the salad:
  • 1 Cup wild rice uncooked
  • 2 Cups boiling water
  • 1 Cup black beans cooked
  • 2 ears corn cooked
  • 1 Pint cherry tomatoes quartered

• Fore the dressing:
  • 1/3 Cup olive oil
  • Juice of two lemons
  • Zest of two lemons
  • 2 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 Garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan set over medium to low heat add the rice and boiling water. Stir well, cover and leave to cook for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
• Fluff the rice with a fork and spread out on a baking tray to cool.
• In a large salad bowl combine, the rice, beans, corn and tomatoes. Stir and set aside.
• Make the dressing.
• In a small jar or bowl, combine all of dressing ingredients. Shake or whisk well. Pour over salad and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
• Will keep in the fridge for about two days.

Notes about the salad

• Cooking Wild Rice – First of all, let’s talk about cooking wild rice.  I find generally you need two parts water to one part rice and no more.  Wild rice will be tougher than any white rice.  So, if you are new to using it, you are not looking for a soft texture with the end result.  The rice will have a bit of a bite.
• Fresh or can corn – You can use fresh or canned corn, either will work just fine.  I had corn on the cob, but it was the pre cooked corn that comes vacuum packed.  Fresh corn is hard to come by here and quite expensive when you do find it.
• Can or fresh beans – As for the beans, you can soak and cook your own  or used jarred beans.  Either way, it will still be a great salad.  Soaking and cooking the beans is not included in the preparation or cooking time for this recipe.  Although I did soak and cook my own beans.  I did a batch and then froze the ones I wasn’t using.  If you are going down the dry beans route, soak them for about 8 hours.  I usually change the water once through the soaking process.  Then you change the water and cook them over a low heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until they are cooked.  You may need to top up the water through cooking.  Again, this isn’t included in this recipe.
• Better made in advance – This salad really needs to be made a little bit in advance before serving. I would recommend at least an hour in the fridge before serving. As well, it will keep in the fridge for about two days.

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US CustomaryMetric

Wild Rice & Black Bean Salad

This Wild Rice and Black Bean Salad is a great make ahead salad to enjoy all year. Made using wild rice, black beans, corn and cherry tomatoes in a zesty vinaigrette.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Chill Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course: Lunch, Salad, Starter

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: black beans, potluck, wild rice

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 269kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 Cup wild rice uncooked
• 2 Cups boiling water
• 1 Cup black beans cooked
• 2 ears corn cooked
• 1 Pint cherry tomatoes quartered

For the dressing:

• 1/3 Cup olive oil
• Juice of two lemons
• Zest of two lemons
• 2 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 Garlic cloves crushed
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan set over medium to low heat add the rice and boiling water. Stir well, cover and leave to cook for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
• Fluff the rice with a fork and spread out on a baking tray to cool.
• In a large salad bowl combine, the rice, beans, corn and tomatoes. Stir and set aside.
• Make the dressing.
• In a small jar or bowl, combine all of dressing ingredients. Shake or whisk well. Pour over salad and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
• Will keep in the fridge for about two days.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Wild Rice & Black Bean Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 269 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 403mg18%

Potassium 394mg11%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 435IU9%

Vitamin C 18mg22%

Calcium 27mg3%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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