Wild Rice and Kale Salad (Cubby’s Copycat)

I’m obsessed with the Wild Rice and Kale Salad from Cubby’s, and this copycat version lets you enjoy that same flavor-packed goodness right at home, with a macro-friendly twist! It’s made with crunchy kale, hearty toppings, and the most addictive lemon balsamic cilantro dressing that really brings this salad to life! 

About This Recipe

Every time we visit Utah, we HAVE to go to Cubby’s (honestly, sometimes we go multiple times during our trip!). Cubby’s is a Utah-based fast-casual restaurant that serves delicious, fresh, healthy food.

They have the BEST Wild Rice and Kale Salad. It has all the good stuff like wild rice, shredded kale, toasted almonds, avocado, crisp apples, dried cranberries, chicken, goat cheese, and the tastiest balsamic lemon cilantro vinaigrette. It’s one of those salads that I can’t get enough of, and I finally make a copycat recipe that is macro-friendly, delicious, and easy to make at home!

For more delicious copycat recipes, try my Mediterranean Grain Bowl (Cava Copycat) or Copycat Factory Chopped Salad.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Apple: I also prefer to use an apple like Honeycrisp or Gala for my salads, but use any type of apple you prefer.
• Avocado: Feel to skip the avocado if you wan to make this salad a little lower in fat.
• Brown or wild rice: We love the shelf-stable brown rice from Costco, or the frozen brown rice from Trader Joe’s or Sprouts. You can also use quinoa, farro, or any other small grain you love.
• Craisins: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to this salad.
• Goat cheese: Feel free to use feta cheese or blue cheese if goat cheese isn’t your thing.
• Grilled chicken: Use any leftover grilled chicken you have on hand! Some of my favorites include my Honey Chipotle Grilled Chicken, Balsamic Herb Grilled Chicken, Lemon Basil Honey Grilled Chicken, or my Green Goddess Grilled Chicken.
• Kale: Make sure your kale is chopped into very small pieces! Start by removing the tough stems, then bundle them tightly together and chop them very finely. You can also give it a quick whirl in your food processor! Or, skip this step altogether and buy pre-chopped kale to save time!
• Toasted almonds: Or you can use pecans, walnuts, etc., or skip entirely to make this salad nut-free.
• Lemon Balsamic Cilantro Dressing: For the lemon balsamic cilantro dressing, I use lemon balsamic vinegar from Baker and Olive, but you can definitely use regular balsamic vinegar in this salad recipe. To get that sweet lemon flavor you’ll just want to use lemon juice instead of water and add some honey to taste.

Dietary Adaptations

Dairy-free: You can use a dairy-free yogurt like So Delicious plain coconut yogurt instead of cottage cheese. The So Delicious yogurt is dairy-free and gluten-free and is great for creamy dressings! For the blue cheese crumbles, I like using the Follow Your Heart brand of dairy-free cheeses. I love the dairy-free feta cheese, and I’m sure the blue cheese crumbles are tasty too! 

How to Make

1. Prep the kale. The key to a good kale salad is chopping the kale into very small pieces. Remove the tough stems from the kale, then bundle them tightly together and chop them very finely. You can also give it a quick whirl in your food processor! 
2. Prep the rest of the ingredients. I love to use precooked brown rice and leftover grilled chicken for ease! Dice up your apples and avocado and gather the rest of the toppings. 
3. Make the dressing. Put all of the dressing ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth! If you’re using a plain balsamic, you could add a little honey for sweetness. (The lemon balsamic vinegar I use by Baker and Olive is sweet, so it doesn’t need any extra sweetness added.)
4. Toss and serve. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl, and toss with the salad dressing. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Serving Suggestions

This salad is a complete, macro-friendly meal on its own. It’s filling, satisfying, and full of flavor. But if you want something on the side, I love pairing this salad with air-fried sweet potato fries or roasted sweet potatoes or carrot fries for a lighter option. At Cubby’s, I always pretend to order the fries for my husband, but let’s be honest, I eat half of them every time!

For More Delicious Salad Recipes

I love it when a salad can double as a full meal! A salad for dinner is a great way to eat lots of veggies and use up some leftover protein. Here are some of my favorite meal-sized salads:

• Blueberry Chicken Salad with Herb Pesto
• Grinder Salad
• BBQ Salmon Salad
• Steak and Arugula Salad
• BLT Chopped Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lillie Biesinger (@lillieeatsandtells)

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