Authentic Moroccan Couscous Salad
Crunchy leaves and decadent dressings, I have recently been all about that life. Yes, freshly tossed salads have become my favourite go-to “meal”, and I’m not talking about having one as a lunch or dinner accompaniment but as a filling meal that’s appetizing as well as appealing. Of course, adding high-carb foods, like pasta or rice is a great way to bulk up a salad, but my preference {ever since our trip to Morocco} has been Couscous or steamed semolina {a North Africa staple} to add that light and fluffy texture. It is my holy grail on days when I’m bored of the same old salad combinations and want to switch things up!
Thoughtful presentation leads to a more enjoyable meal ~ don’t you agree? Hence, I favour meals that are not only delicious but actually look visually enticing and also save time on cooking. These past few months I have been experimenting with picture-perfect salad recipes that don’t require many ingredients and are time efficient as well. This authentic Moroccan couscous salad whipped up using just couscous, chickpeas and vegetables is one of those recipes that taste really impressive, isn’t time-consuming, and is nutritious enough to be eaten as a balanced meal on its own. I’m head over heels in love with this delicious and Authentic Moroccan Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables, Chick Peas, and Almonds! Since I don’t really post many recipes, you can guess how good this one is! Try and let me know if you like it.
Authentic Moroccan Couscous Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- Hot water ~ 400 ml
- Couscous ~ 200 gm
- Chickpeas ~ 1 can, instant
- Zucchini/Squash ~ 1 large, diced
- Red and Yellow Bell Peppers ~ 2 large, diced
- Onion ~ 1 large, diced
- Garlic ~ 8 cloves
- Olive Oil ~ 1 tbsp
- Lemon ~ 1 large, juiced
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil ~ 3 tbsp
- Cilantro/Coriander leaves ~ handful, chopped
- Almond Slivers ~ 2 tbsp, toasted
- Salt and Cracked Black Pepper ~ to taste
Preparation:
- Toss the zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, onions and garlic cloves with 1 tbsp olive oil. Use the salt and cracked black pepper to season.
- Place the vegetables in a single layer onto the roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. Set aside and cool for 10 min.
- Prepare the instant couscous as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Using a fork, fluff the cooked couscous. Then toss the couscous with the chickpeas, roasted vegetables and cilantro.
- Mix together the juice of one lemon with extra virgin olive oil. Shake it well and use it to dress your salad.
- Sprinkle slivers of toasted almond before serving.
I love the blend of Moroccan flavours here and I just love all the textures going on, too!
How can this amazing salad not taste good with flavours like that?! Additionally, it can be easily adapted to your favourite veggies; a great way to use up what you have in your kitchen while sneaking in some fibre. Just give it a try and you will see why I love it so much!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! I’d love to have you share your thoughts in the comments below. I’ll be waiting to hear from you!