Cold Corn and Wild Rice Salad

corn and wild rice salad in a white bowl.

No ratings yet

This Cold Corn and Wild Rice Salad is a Midwestern spin on cowboy caviar with wild rice, black beans, black-eyed peas, sweet corn, fresh vegetables, and a zippy lime dressing. Serve it as a salad with spinach or leave out the spinach and serve with tortilla chips.

Prep Time20

Chill Time30

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 255kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

Wild Rice and Corn Salad

15 oz. can wild rice or 1 ½ cups cooked wild rice
15 oz. can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups corn fresh, canned (drained), or frozen (thawed)
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ cup diced red onion
1 cup cucumber half moons
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
4 green onions (green and white parts), sliced
½ cup parsley, chopped

Lime Vinaigrette

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 3-4 limes)
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste

For Serving

3 cups baby spinach
8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
2 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds plain or honey roasted

Instructions

In a very large mixing bowl, stir together the wild rice, black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, green onions, and parsley.
In a small bowl or covered jar, vigorously whisk or shake the dressing ingredients until well combined.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat. Chill for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, to let the flavors meld. Refrigerate the crumbled bacon separately to keep it crisp.
When serving, toss only the amount you plan to eat with baby spinach, then finish with the crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds.

Notes

Make ahead: Refrigerate the dressed salad for up to 4 days. For the best texture, keep the spinach, bacon, and sunflower seeds separate and add just before serving.
Meal prep: Portion the salad into individual containers for easy lunches throughout the week. Add spinach and toppings when ready to eat.
For the best flavor: Chill the dressed salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to give the flavors time to meld.

Nutrition