Simple Vegetable Couscous Salad
Are you looking for a simple yet versatile salad? Look no further, this vegetable couscous salad is perfect! It's easy to meal prep, can act as a side dish or even light dinner, and it's even vegetarian!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Israeli couscous
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 pounds asparagus spears
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups cucumbers, sliced
- 1 ½ cups spring peas, cut in thirds
- ¾ cup radishes, cut into wedges
- ½ batch red wine vinaigrette or desired amount
- ½-3/4 cup halved artichokes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- While the oven is preheating, heat your skillet over medium heat. Add butter and allow it to melt and heat with the pan. Add your couscous. Mix for a few minutes, allowing the couscous to toast. Next pour in your water, be careful as it will steam quite a bit. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir occasionally until it has absorbed all the liquid.
- While it is cooking, cut the tough ends off your asparagus. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Move to the oven and bake until it is just tender. Don't overdo it!
- The asparagus and couscous should finish at about the same time. You can either serve this warm or allow the asparagus to cool and rinse the couscous with cold water.
- Combine all ingredients and drizzle generously with the red wine vinaigrette.
- It is delicious served the day of, or you can use it for meal prep as well. It holds well for up to 3 days. The couscous will absorb a lot of the dressing though, so it might dry a little in a few days. If this happens, make another half batch of the dressing and drizzle again.
- Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Notes
- Serve it with this homemade red wine vinaigrette or your favorite dressing.
- Toasting the couscous gives it more depth of flavor.
- Don't overcook the asparagus, it works better a bit on the crunchy side in salads!
- Serve up right away with warm asparagus and couscous or let everything cool and serve it up cold.