If you are looking for a delicious salad for fall that is simple to make and great for meal prep, this Pearl Couscous Salad With Roasted Vegetables is it! Keep reading and let me tell you all about it.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
There’s nothing better than a pasta salad, and this dish is no exception. I love couscous paired with seasonal roasted vegetables for Autumn. The only thing I regret is not making more of it!
This salad works great for meal prep. I prefer this salad heated, and it reheats really well. It is the perfect on-the-go lunch!
It is also really simple to make. Toast the couscous, cook, and roast your vegetables. Then throw it all together...done!
This salad is vegetarian/vegan, but it is also a really hearty dish. I love eating this for a light meal.
Ingredients
- Pearl or Israeli Couscous- This couscous is fairly easy to find. I like to buy it in bulk bins though, it is so much cheaper. If you have this option, I recommend it.
- Vegetable Stock- A lot of the flavor in the couscous comes from the stock.
- Vegetables for roasting- I used what I had on hand- butternut squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions. You can use any vegetables you like to roast.
- Olive oil- you will use this to toast the couscous, but also for roasting the veggies.
- Garlic- Always adds so much flavor to any dish!
- Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning- These are the spices I use to create a flavorful dish.
How To Make
Start this dish by toasting the couscous. To do this, heat olive oil in a pan. Once it is heated, add in the couscous. Mix and cook until it is toasted.
Pour in the vegetable stock, mix, turn heat to low, and cook for about 15 minutes until the couscous is tender.
Now, start roasting the vegetables. Cut them to size. I like to be mindful of the sizes I am using. For the vegetables that don't take as long to roast, I cut them in bigger sizes. The ones that take more time, I cut them into smaller pieces.
This ensures that everything will be done at the same time.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the preheated oven and bake until they are just tender, not mushy.
The couscous and vegetables are done! Gently combine the 2 with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. You don't want to break up the roasted vegetables.
I love this served warm, so I eat it right away!
That is it. Double the batch and use it for meal prep. It is well worth the effort.
What is Couscous?
If you’ve never had couscous before, you might be wondering what it is. Despite its appearance, a couscous is a form of pasta, rather than a grain. I personally prefer pearl or Israeli couscous because of its larger pearl shape.
Couscous is made out of semolina, just like many kinds of pasta, but rather than being made into sheets, it’s rolled between wet hands to create small granules of pasta. The couscous is then dried, which later allows it to be boiled to finish it.
Israeli couscous or pearl couscous is a larger, more formed ball shape of couscous than its more standard cousin. Because of its size, it is toasted instead of dried to help it keep its shape. Because of the difference in the process, Israeli couscous has more of a chewiness to it that adds a nice texture to any dish.
Notes
- Toasting the couscous makes all the difference. I know it seems like one extra step, but don't skip it!
- Make sure not to over bake your vegetables. You want them to be tender, but not mushy. Otherwise they break apart in the salad.
- The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. Feel free to use your favorite vegetables and tailor the recipe to your tastes. You don’t have to use the exact things I did.
- This recipe was created with Italian undertones, but you can use any spices you like. Rosemary is really good in this recipe. Or you can use crushed red pepper, chili powder, etc.
- I used the pearl version of couscous (also known as Israeli couscous) but you can use regular couscous, too, if it’s all you have access to.
FAQ
You can. While the result won’t be exactly the same, it won’t hurt the finished meal to change it up. You could use quinoa, rice, or even lentils.
While couscous has around the same amount of calories as rice or any other pasta, it does have slightly more protein and is considered slightly more healthy for you because it’s made of whole grains as opposed to the more refined grains most pasta are made out of.
The sky really is the limit with this recipe. Some of my favorite vegetables to roast are squash, brussel sprouts, beets, and even cauliflower. Choose whatever vegetables you enjoy and roast them for your salad.
Other Salad Recipes
- Peach caprese salad
- Mediterranean lentil salad
- Green goddess pasta salad
- Fruit and microgreen salad
- Strawberry basil salad
- Shaved brussel sprout salad
- Vegetarian couscous salad
- Southwestern Black Bean and Corn Salad
Pearl Couscous with Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 ½ cups Pearl or Israeli couscous I used pearl couscous
- 2 ½ cups vegetable stock homemade or store bought
- 4-6 cups Assorted veggies for roasting I used butternut squash, bell peppers, zucchini, and onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for drizzling over veggies
- 1 salt
- ½ pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Add your butter to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. When it is melted and heated, add your couscous.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until the couscous is toasted. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Add in the stock, reduce heat to low, and cover with a lid. Let this cook for about 15-20 minutes.
- While it is cooking, let's start the veggies. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut your veggies into chunks. I like to cut my veggies that take longer to cook smaller, and the ones that take less time to cook in larger pieces. This ensures they will all cook at the same time.
- Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Mix well and place in the oven,
- Place in the oven and bake until the vegetables are tender. While they are cooking, the couscous will finish. Remove this from heat and leave the lid on until the vegetables are done.
- Then fluff the couscous and add in the cooked vegetables, and Italian seasoning. Mix gently and check for seasoning. Add in more Italian, salt, and pepper as needed.
- That is it! It is ready to go and so delicious.
- This is a great dish for meal prep as it reheats really well.
- Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!