Add some extra flavor to your typical side dish with this Vegetable Couscous Salad recipe. Roast veggies and mix them with pearl couscous, feta and fresh herbs.
Quick
Minimal prep
You’ll Learn: Why pearl couscous makes such an impact
Worth It: Meal-prep freindly for enjoyment all week
Bonus: Can be served warm or cold
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Mix up your routine – I’m not going to lie, I love rice and quinoa, BUT I do get into a rut of making them as a boring side day after day. Upgrade your side dish with this Mediterranean inspired couscous salad recipe.
- Pasta swap – Swap out your favorite pasta salad for this healthy couscous salad! The little pearl couscous are like tiny bites of pasta. Toss it together with roasted veggies and a salad dressing for the perfect dish.
- Make ahead dish – You can make all of the elements of this vegetable couscous salad ahead of time and then just toss in the dressing when you are ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
This pearl couscous salad recipe is the perfect side dish. It is great with any kind of protein like chicken, fish or even roasted chickpeas. For a super quick meal I like to serve it with Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin.
I also like to serve this roasted vegetable couscous salad with Lemon Pepper Salmon, Lemon Herb Baked Chicken, or Easy Pan Seared Chicken Breast. To keep it vegetarian, make it with baked tofu.
Couscous vs. Pearl Couscous
Regular couscous is tiny ground pasta made from semolina flour. Pearl couscous or Israeli couscous are larger granules made from semolina and wheat flour.
Pearl couscous is similar in size to pastina and it is what I used for this couscous salad recipe. You can find pearl couscous at the grocery store near the pasta and rice.
Ingredients
- Pearl couscous – I find pearl couscous absorbs the flavors better than something like moroccan couscous
- Zucchini – roasted zucchini is one of my favorites for this salad
- Cherry tomatoes – cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes work best for this recipe
- Red onion – I love the way that the roasted red onions add to the flavor of the dish
- Olive oil – I use extra virgin olive oil, but a neutral oil would also work
- Red wine vinegar – the vinegar adds a bit of acid and brightness to the salad
- Feta cheese – feta is my favorite cheese to add that tangy flavor to the salad
- Fresh parsley – a bit of fresh herbs is so tasty in this vegetable couscous salad
- Salt and black pepper – add salt and pepper to taste to finish off your salad
Ingredient substituions
You can use any roasted veggies to make this hearty couscous salad. I love to use butternut squash in the fall or parsnips in the spring. You can use roasted asparagus, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, carrots, or cabbage. I love adding some garlic cloves to the roasted vegetables for an extra burst of flavor.
To make a mediterranean spin, use bell pepper, kalamata olives, fresh dill, feta and cucumbers! Roast the bell peppers, but keep the other veggies raw for a fresh feel.
Feel free to use goat cheese in place of the feta cheese or use a vegan cheese substitute to make this recipe vegan. You can also use any fresh herbs that you like. I love using fresh basil in the summer. I also love topping the salad with nuts like almonds for a bit of crunch.
Use any vinegar you like in place of the red wine vinegar. Champagne vinegar and balsamic vinegar each add a subtle sweetness to this pearl couscous. You could even use some of my Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette in place of the dressing.
I love the simple, delicious flavors in this vegetable couscous recipe, but you can play around with so many different spice blends. Ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, and oregano could all be great additions. Add red pepper flakes for a bit of spice.
How to make Veggie Couscous Salad
Step 1: Roast veggies
To begin, preheat oven to 400F. Add diced zucchini, diced red onion and cherry tomatoes to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil and salt and pepper.
Then, pour veggies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Prepare pearl couscous
While the vegetables bake boil 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Once the water is boiling add 1 and 1/2 cups pearl couscous to the pot. You could also boil the couscous in vegetable broth instead.
Then, reduce to low hear and cover. Simmer until all of the water is absorbed and the Israeli couscous is cooked through.
Step 3: Mix ingredients to prepare couscous salad
Allow the veggies and couscous to cool slightly. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Finally, add them both to a large mixing bowl with crumbled feta, chopped parsley, 1 tbsp oil and vinegar and toss to combine.
Storage and reheating
Store this couscous salad recipe in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Serve chilled or warm.
If you want to prepare this simple pearl couscous recipe ahead of time, cook the couscous and roast the veggies. Then, toss with them together with the cheese and dressing just before you are ready for serve.
other delicious and healthy side dish recipes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Veggie Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pearl couscous
- 2 cups water
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil – separated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Add diced zucchini, diced red onion and cherry tomatoes to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tbsp of oil and salt and pepper. Pour veggies onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 400F for 20 minutes. While the vegetables bake boil 2 cups of water. Once the water is boiling add 1 and 1/2 cups pearl couscous to the pot. Reduce to low hear and cover. Simmer until all of the water is absorbed and the Israeli couscous is cooked through.
- Allow the veggies and couscous to cool slightly. Add them both to a large mixing bowl with crumbled feta, chopped parsley, 1 tbsp oil and vinegar and toss to combine.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Leave a Reply