Last Updated on 17 December 2023 by cooksimply
Healthy doesn’t mean boring and bland. This couscous salad has tons of different vegetables, as well as a tangy, delicious dressing and fresh herbs. I adore couscous. Light and filling, I make tons of the stuff and serve it alongside roasted meats for lighter dinners, or at BBQs – this recipe really goes down a treat with guests. It’s also fantastic for lunchboxes and can be stored for days afterwards, so you can still have healthy lunches on the go without having to lift a finger.
This is an easy couscous recipe
My couscous salad with roasted vegetables couldn’t be simpler to make. The hardest part is dicing all the vegetables and roasting them, and chopping the sundried tomatoes and olives. What vegetables do I use in this recipe? I’ll be honest, sometimes it can change depending on what fresh vegetables I have in the fridge. But this combination of courgette, peppers and cherry tomatoes is a classic combo in my opinion. Particularly when the cherry tomatoes impart their lovely sweet flavour.
You can use other vegetables that you like too – roasted squash or aubergine would work well here, alongside onions or even asparagus when in season.
What is in this couscous with salad?
Aside from the roasted vegetables, sundried tomatoes and olives, there’s lovely salty feta, fresh parsley and a tangy dressing made from the oil from the sundried tomatoes, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and seasoning from salt and pepper. It really is a taste sensation. And best of all healthy, too.
How to make couscous
While some couscous recipes say to boil couscous in a pan of water and add butter and seasoning, I like to keep things really simple. I always add the couscous to a large bowl and pour over the stock, then cover in clingfilm and leave for 10 minutes. Really that’s it. And if you’re not sure how much liquid you need to add to the amount of couscous you have, always follow the rule of 1:1 – so if you’re using 300g of couscous, use 300ml of stock. You don’t want too much liquid as the couscous won’t be light and fluffy.
Can you freeze couscous salad?
Absolutely. The fantastic thing about this recipe is that there is often plenty of leftovers that can be boxed up and stored in the fridge for up to three days. But if you want to freeze it, put it in a suitable container and you can freeze couscous with roasted vegetables for up to three months. To reheat, defrost the couscous, then add reheat thoroughly in a microwave.
What to serve with couscous salad
It’s a versatile dish that can be served with roasted meats like chicken, lamb or beef. Or great with grilled halloumi cheese or fish. Basically, anything goes – and it’s just perfect on its own, too.
Simple couscous salad
Ingredients
For roasted vegetables
- 150 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 courgette roughly chopped
- 2 peppers any colour roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the couscous salad
- 300 g dried couscous
- 300 ml vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
- 1/2 lemon juice only
- salt and pepper to taste
- 100 g feta crumbled
- 80 g sun-dried tomatoes roughly chopped
- 100 g cup black olives roughly chopped
- Handful fresh parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c.
- Prepare the couscous first. Put the couscous in a large bowl and pour over the hot vegetable stock. All the couscous should be submerged under the stock. Cover with clingfilm and leave for 10 minutes.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, peppers, and courgette to a baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Give the pan a good shake so all the ingredients are mixed with the seasoning and oil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until they begin to soften and brown.
- In the meantime, add the sundried tomato oil to a bowl, then add the lemon juice, Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Whisk well, until you have a thick, creamy dressing – around 2 minutes. Put to one side.
- Back to the couscous. Take off the clingfilm and using a fork, separate the couscous. Then add the roasted vegetables (they can still be warm from the oven), chopped olives, chopped sundried tomatoes, crumbled feta and the dressing.
- Give the couscous a good mix, making sure all the ingredients are combined.
- Serve the couscous salad with more fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
