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Warm Roasted Vegetable Harvest Couscous Salad

Warm Roasted Vegetable Harvest Couscous Salad

A delightful salad featuring roasted vegetables, couscous, and a tangy dressing, perfect for fall harvest meals.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 513 kcal

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet
  • medium pot
  • large bowl
  • Sieve
  • medium bowl
  • Tongs

Ingredients
  

For the roasted vegetables

  • 3 to 4 cups cubed butternut squash or sub honeynut squash or sweet potato
  • 1 medium red onion halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 15 ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon coriander
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for a little kick
  • freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

  • 1 cup pearl couscous
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale destemmed and finely chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the apple cider maple tahini dressing

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Toppings and garnish

  • ½ heaping cup dried cranberries or cherries or sub chopped dates
  • ½ heaping cup roasted and salted pepitas make sure to get them roasted and salted bc they have much more flavor
  • 4 ounces feta or sub goat cheese, crumbled
  • freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Roast the vegetables: Add the butternut squash, chickpeas and red onion to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and pure maple syrup. Sprinkle vegetables with the spices: salt, turmeric, coriander, thyme, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), and a few grinds of black pepper. Use clean hands to toss the vegetables together until they are well-coated with spices, then spread out on the pan in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are fork tender and chickpeas are crispy.
  • Prepare the couscous: While the veggies, cook the couscous. In a medium pot, add the water, couscous and salt and bring to a boil. Stir couscous, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large sieve and drain any excess liquid, then return back to the pot to keep warm.
  • Make the dressing: While the couscous cooks, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, add the olive oil, tahini, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, dijon, and salt until well combined.
  • Transfer the couscous, chopped kale, parsley and cilantro to a large bowl and pour in half of the dressing. Use tongs to toss until dressing coats everything well, about 1 minute.
  • Assemble the salad: If you want to serve this ‘family style’ or on a platter: add the kale and couscous mixture to a large platter, top with the warm roasted vegetables, then garnish with cranberries (or cherries, or dates!), pepitas and feta.
  • Serve the salad: Divide into individual bowls and drizzle with remaining dressing and garnish with extra flaky salt and black pepper. Salad is delicious served warm or cold.

Notes

To make dairy free: Feel free to skip the feta. To make gluten free: Skip the couscous and use quinoa instead. I suggest making 1 cup of quinoa according to the directions on the package.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 513kcalCarbohydrates: 63.1gProtein: 13.6gFat: 24.2gSaturated Fat: 5.3gFiber: 9.3gSugar: 18.1g
Keyword couscous salad, fall recipe, harvest salad, Healthy, roasted vegetables, Vegan
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