Roasted Vegetable Couscous Salad Recipe
A vibrant and flavorful roasted vegetable couscous salad featuring sweet bell peppers, zucchini, grape tomatoes, and red onions. Roasted to caramelized perfection and tossed with pearl couscous, fresh parsley, tangy lemon dressing, toasted pine nuts, and crumbled feta cheese for a satisfying warm or chilled side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Vegetables
- 4 cups mixed vegetables, chopped into small pieces (grape tomatoes, red onions, sweet bell peppers, zucchini)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
Couscous
- 4 cups pearl couscous, cooked according to package instructions
Dressing
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup olive oil
To Serve
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for roasting the vegetables.
- Prepare Vegetables: In a large bowl, combine the chopped grape tomatoes, red onions, sweet bell peppers, and zucchini with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, dried thyme, black pepper, and crushed garlic. Toss well to coat all pieces evenly.
- Roast Vegetables: Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread the vegetable mixture evenly in a single layer on the tray. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are nicely browned, checking at 30 minutes and adjusting time as needed based on vegetable size. Once roasted, set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook Couscous: While vegetables roast, cook the pearl couscous according to package instructions until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, and ½ cup olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.
- Toss Salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked couscous, roasted vegetables, finely chopped parsley, and half of the lemon dressing. Toss everything together until well mixed.
- Add Toppings and Serve: Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts (if using) over the salad. Serve warm as a flavorful side dish.
- Store Leftovers: Refrigerate any leftovers. To enjoy as a cold salad later, toss with the remaining dressing before serving.
Notes
- Cooking time for roasted vegetables may vary depending on the size of the vegetable pieces; check at 30 minutes to avoid overcooking.
- To toast pine nuts, dry roast them in a pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant.
- Pearl couscous can be substituted with regular couscous, but cooking times will differ.
- This salad can be served warm or chilled according to preference.
- Make sure to use fresh lemon zest for the best flavor in the dressing.
Keywords: roasted vegetable couscous salad, Mediterranean salad, pearl couscous recipe, roasted vegetable side dish, healthy vegetable salad
