Summer-in-a-bowl Wild Rice Salad with Creamy Basil Vinaigrette
Satisfying wild rice salad packed with the best of summer produce. This salad is full of flavor and texture from the rice, toasted almonds, sweet corn, and crisp vegetables, and everything comes together with a creamy garlic basil vinaigrette.
Combine all ingredients in a blender or a powerful food processor until very smooth. If not using a high-speed blender, it may take a few minutes of blending, while stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, for the cashews to get smooth. If necessary, you can add more nondairy milk to help blend.
Add plenty of salt and pepper, plus more vinegar if desired, to taste. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
For the wild rice:
Warm the olive oil in the bottom of a saucepan. Add the garlic and onion along with a sprinkle of salt, and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until onion and garlic are softened.
Add the wild rice to the pan and stir. Cook for 60 seconds, until the wild rice is fragrant. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the wild rice is fluffy and tender.
Drain any excess water from the rice, if present.
For the wild rice salad:
If using the smoked tofu, cut it into small cubes, and toss them together with the soy sauce in a bowl. Let them sit for 5 minutes to absorb the soy sauce.
In a mixing bowl, fold together the wild rice, prepped fruits and vegetables, and toasted almonds. Fold in the tofu if using. Drizzle with the basil vinaigrette and stir to combine.
This salad is best served while still slightly warm, or completely cold - the middle ground isn't as tasty. Leftovers keep well for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Notes
OIL-FREE: Omit the oil in the dressing and increase the cashews by 2 tablespoons. If you don't have a high-speed blender, you may need additional nondairy milk for blending. Saute the onion and garlic for the wild rice in a splash of water or vegetable broth before continuing with the recipe as written.TO MAKE WITHOUT A BLENDER: Chop the basil very finely with a sharp knife, or pound it in a mortar and pestle. Mince the garlic instead of simply chopping it. Omit the raw cashews, adding another 2 tablespoons of olive oil (2 tablespoons of raw cashew butter or almond butter may also work well). Reduce the nondairy milk by half. Adjust seasoning as needed.NUTRITION: Nutrition facts include optional tofu, optional soy sauce, and 1/2 of the vinaigrette recipe.