This fall harvest rice salad is loaded with pumpkin, apples, raisins, dried cranberries and walnuts for a delicious fall side dish! (It’s also vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.)

Before we get to this fall harvest rice salad — which I am completely obsessed with — I am very happy to announce that The Casual Veggie Cookbook is available to order!

We’ve got more than 150 recipes on 29 vegetables for you and they run the gamut from breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and dessert.

There are some that are vegan, vegetarian, carnivore, gluten-free, low-carb, paleo and on and on. Everyone will find some new favorite dishes here!

Plus you’ll get tons of ideas and inspiration to help you cook your favorite veggies in different ways as well as experiment with some new vegetables.

You can find out more and buy the cookbook here.

As part of the launch party this week, I’m participating in a virtual veggie potluck with all of the other contributors. How awesome does that sound?

Here’s more about my recipe, then please read on to see the other veggie dishes my fabulous blogging friends have contributed.

So, this fall harvest rice salad…

We regularly have basic steamed brown rice at our house. It’s so easy, so healthy, so filling. But, I get it, it’s kinda plain.

And maybe having the same thing the same way gets old after a while. (Not to me, I’m weird that way, but I could understand that it would get old to some people.)

So I added in ALL the good stuff and made this fabulous harvest rice salad!

Pumpkin ✅

Apples ✅

Dried fruits ✅

Nuts ✅

Oh and let’s not forget some maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and a few spices to really bring the flavor over the top.

It’s also vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.

I could eat this rice salad every day all fall. Time of day is of no concern to me, either. We of course eat it for dinner, warm.

But I have a serious love for the leftovers, cold and straight from the fridge. I definitely had several large forkfuls of this for a mini “third breakfast” a couple of days ago.

Please, no judging. Especially when I tell you I also ate a bowlful for my lunch that day and then polished off the rest at dinnertime. 😬

Back to that not getting tired of things quality… not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse…

Notes on fall harvest rice salad:

• I use brown rice – we’re a whole grain family – but you could substitute long-grain white rice. Just reduce the cooking time to about 15 minutes.
• Honey crisp apples are my fall favorite and have a great sweetness and crunch here. You could also use a Fuji, Pink Lady or Gala apple if you prefer.
• I use walnuts here but pecans would work too.
• The mix of raisins and dried cranberries is yummy but you can use all of one or the other, depending on what you have.

This salad will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. And like I said, I enjoy it just as much cold as I do warm!

And I think you’ll love it too. This salad has major flavor and major texture.

The soft, creamy pumpkin rice with the crunchy nuts and apple pieces, the savory with the sweet, the zin with the zang. Mmm, mmm, mmm. ❤️

Break out of your rice rut and try this salad soon. And check out all of the other fabulous veggie potluck recipes below.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

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Yield: 4-6 servings

Fall harvest rice salad

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This fall harvest rice salad is chocked full of pumpkin, apples, raisins and nuts, and is great warm or cold!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the rice:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small sweet onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the salad:

• 1 small to medium honey crisp apple, cored and diced (I leave the peel on)
• 2 tablespoons raisins (golden or regular)
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries (or you can sub more raisins)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (or pecans)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Saute the onion in olive oil until tender, 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the brown rice and toss to get it coated in the oils and let it toast for 30 seconds.
3. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, cover the pan, lower temperature to medium-low to maintain a low simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prep the remaining salad ingredients and add to a large bowl. Once the rice is cooked, add it to the bowl and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Notes

The rice salad is great to eat warm as soon as it's ready, but I also love the leftovers cold, straight from the fridge. The apple and nuts generally keep their crunch for at least a day or two.
This is mash-up of a Healthy Happy Life recipe and a Whole Foods recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 307Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 661mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 7gSugar: 23gProtein: 6g

And be sure to check out these awesome veggie potluck recipes from my fellow Casual Veggie Cookbook contributors!

A Southern Grace – Black and Tan Orange

My Happy Belly – Sweet Roasted Squash

Parsley and Pumpkins – Kohlrabi Cranberry Salad

Real Simple Good – Kale and Cabbage Salad

The Delicious Balance – Cauliflower Stuffed Acorn Squash

The Weekly Menu – Italian Veggie Popover Pizza

Treble in the Kitchen – Kale Salad with Acorn Squash and Spiced Walnuts

Where is my Spoon? – Cauliflower in Tomato Sauce