Warm Wild Rice Salad with Sausages and Apples

Name: Warm Wild Rice Salad with Sausages and Apples
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons mild olive oil, divided; 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped; 8 good quality sausages (If the sausages are thin you may want to use 12. Use vegetarian sausages to make this recipe meat free.); 1 cup long grain and wild rice; 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped; 3 eating apples, cored and chopped but not peeled (I like to mix red and green skinned apples for colour if possible); 2 tablespoons cider vinegar; 1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, plain or wholegrain; 1 teaspoon honey; salt and pepper, to taste

ByApril HarrisPublished: October 30, 2026

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This easy to make Warm Wild Rice Salad with Sausages and Apples features fresh apples, flavourful sausages and a delicious dressing. Hearty and satisfying, it makes an easy weeknight family supper but it’s also great for entertaining. The best part is, this recipe only about takes about 30 minutes to prepare!

Popular on the website for well over a decade, this recipe is still a firm favourite among readers, family and friends. It’s easy to make, really satisfying and you can adapt the flavours to suit your level of spice. I use everything from mild breakfast style sausages to spicy Italian sausages in this recipe, and it works well with vegetarian or vegan sausages too.

Tips for Making Wild Rice Salad with Sausages and Apples

Leave the apples unpeeled. The skin adds a lovely colour to the dish, and it also saves time.
Use a mix of red-skinned and green-skinned apples for more colour.
You can switch up the flavours in this Warm Wild Rice Salad with Sausages and Apples by using different kinds of sausages. My favourites are the Caramelised Onion or Italian sausages handmade by my local butchers. It’s also fun to use pork and apple sausages to for an extra apple-y dish, or try a speciality sausage of your choice. I once used Apricot and Onion sausages from my butcher and the results were fabulous. Vegetarian and vegan sausages work too.
This recipe is perfect for using up leftover sausages. Slice them and add to the mixture just after the apples. You may need to heat them through for a little bit longer if they are fridge cold. Be sure they are piping hot before serving.
Feel free to add some extra veggies to this recipe. My friend always adds sliced mushrooms at the same time as the onion. In my experience, they are a delicious addition. I sometimes added sliced red pepper to the recipe with the onions too.
You can use ordinary cider vinegar or a more artisanal blend. I sometimes use Damson cider vinegar with honey.
If you don’t have cider vinegar, red wine vinegar works really well. However I prefer the way cider vinegar echoes the flavour of the apple. If you do not have either, in my experience white wine vinegar will work in a pinch.
This recipe can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free sausages and mustard, and ensuring that your wild rice blend does not contain any grains.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe is lovely served on its own, but broccoli or another green vegetable makes a great side. For a treat I sometimes serve some warmed bread rolls or crusty bread too.

In my experience, this warm rice salad recipe is best served the day it is made.

Warm Wild Rice Salad with Sausages and Apples is especially delicious accompanied by a glass of cider, apple juice or good Cabernet Sauvignon.

I hope this recipe will become as much a part of your family as it has of mine!