Backcountry Wild Rice & Summer Sausage Salad
A hearty, make-ahead lunch for the trail or lakeside, this Minnesota-inspired salad packs chewy wild rice, smoky summer sausage, crunchy celery, dried cranberries, and a tangy Dijon vinaigrette—all fully prepped at home and simply tossed at camp.
Equipment
- pot (for at-home wild rice prep)
- Knife
- bowl or zip-bag
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice uncooked
- 4 ounces summer sausage diced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- At home: Cook wild rice in boiling water according to package instructions (about 35 minutes). Cool and pack in a sealed container or zip-bag.
- At camp: In a bowl or large zip-bag, combine wild rice, diced sausage, celery, and dried cranberries.
- In a small container, shake together Dijon, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over rice mixture and toss to coat.
- Let sit 10 minutes for flavors to meld, then serve straight from the bowl or divided into trail bowls.
Notes
This salad is best served cold or at room temperature and is highly packable. Prep all ingredients at home for zero-cook trail convenience.