Roasted Veggie Couscous Salad (Printable version)

Vibrant couscous with roasted vegetables tossed in zesty lemon dressing. Vegetarian, Mediterranean-inspired, ready in 40 minutes.

# What you need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Couscous

09 - 1 cup couscous
10 - 1 cup vegetable broth or water
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Dressing

13 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
14 - Juice and zest of 1 lemon
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
17 - 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Finishing

19 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)
21 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)
22 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)

# Steps to follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss zucchini, bell peppers, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork to separate grains.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, zest, 1/4 cup olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - In a large bowl, combine couscous, roasted vegetables, parsley, and mint. Pour dressing over and toss until evenly coated.
06 - Top with crumbled feta and toasted nuts just before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It turns a pile of ordinary vegetables into something that looks like you spent all day cooking.
  • The lemon dressing is so good you will want to drizzle it on everything for the rest of the week.
  • You can serve it warm right out of the oven or cold the next day, and it tastes just as vibrant either way.
  • It works as a side, a main, or something to bring to a potluck without worrying it will wilt or get soggy.
02 -
  • Do not overcrowd the baking sheet or the vegetables will steam instead of roast, spread them out with space between each piece.
  • Fluff the couscous immediately after it sits or it will clump into a sticky mass that is hard to separate later.
  • Add the herbs and feta at the very end so the heat does not wilt the greens or melt the cheese into mush.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for just a few minutes, they go from raw to burnt fast so watch them closely.
  • If your couscous tastes bland, it is probably because you used water instead of broth, and that small swap makes all the difference.
  • Let the roasted vegetables cool for a minute before tossing them with the couscous, or the heat will make everything soggy and limp.
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