Wild Rice and Bean Salad with Red Pepper Miso Dressing

Wild rice and bean salad with cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, and a zingy roasted red pepper miso dressing. This summery salad is hearty, chock-full of peak-season produce, and perfect for both entertaining and easy weekday meals. For the days when it’s nearing 100°F and you’re craving something fresh and produce-driven, yet still filling and sustainable, consider this salad your summer savior. It’s loaded with fiber and even packs a decent punch of plant-based protein.

It’s also highly customizable—use any leafy green you have on hand and switch out any one of the toppers for whichever produce items you have in abundance. Wild rice has a nutty flavor and adds nutritious heft to light summer salads like this one. Like brown rice, wild rice retains its outer bran layer, making it a healthier (and more flavorful) alternative to white rice.

The sweetness of the green beans and acidity of the tomatoes provide the perfect counter to the earthy rice. It’s also the ultimate texture mashup, hitting every end of the spectrum from juicy and snappy to dense and chewy. Now onto the real star of the show here: the dressing! For a short ingredient lineup, this combination makes for a total flavor fiesta. It’s a simple mix of jarred roasted red peppers (a pantry staple over here), white miso paste, olive oil, lemon juice, and a touch of sugar to balance the flavors. The miso paste adds a blast of umami and makes this dressing truly addicting.

But it’s great for far more than just salads. Drizzle it over grilled fish, grain bowls, scrambled eggs, or anything in need of a zingy upgrade.Easy, nutritious, make-ahead friendly, and incredibly tasty, this salad is firing on all cylinders.

Wild Rice and Bean Salad with Red Pepper Harissa Dressing

Wild rice and bean salad with cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, and a zingy roasted red pepper miso dressing. This summery salad is hearty, chock-full of peak-season produce, and perfect for both entertaining and easy weekday meals.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Jamie Vespa MS, RD

Ingredients

• 1 roasted red pepper (from a jar of roasted red peppers)
• 3 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. white miso paste
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 12 oz. fresh green beans trimmed
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 6 cups chopped lettuce of choice
• 1 cup canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup cooked wild rice*

Instructions

• Combine roasted red pepper, 3 Tbsp. of the oil, lemon juice, miso paste, garlic, and black pepper in a blender; blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat remaining 2 tsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans; cook 4 to 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender. Season with salt. Set aside to slightly cool. Slice in half at a diagonal.
• Divide lettuce evenly among 4 bowls. Top evenly with chickpeas, tomatoes, and wild rice. Drizzle dressing evenly over each salad.

Notes

If cooking wild rice (as opposed to using pre-cooked microwave bags such as Uncle Ben's), you'll want to season the cooking water with salt, or alternatively, cook the rice in vegetable broth.

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