This giant couscous salad makes the perfect on-the-go lunch! You can prepare it ahead of time and it’s packed with vegetables (lots of fibre!!) making it a gut-friendly option. This vegetarian dish also makes a delicious side— serve it with grilled chicken or another summer BBQ favourite. Sub the feta for a dairy-free alternative to make this vegan! Deeeelish!
Dairy-Free • Vegetarian • Vegan Option
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The ingredient list
- Giant couscous. Orzo also works well!
- Kale. It’s massaged with apple cider vinegar and olive oil, which makes it easier to chew and digest.
- All the veggies— tomatoes, sweetcorn, chillies, black beans, red bell pepper, and red onion.
- Feta cheese. To make this vegan, use a dairy-free alternative, or sprinkle on some nutritional yeast flakes. [Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.]
- & some extra flavour! Lime juice, coriander, dill, fresh cracked black pepper, and sea salt flakes. These flavours help bring the dish together. Use any other fresh herbs you have on-hand or from the garden!
Nutrition
- Protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. A balance of macronutrients is key to any meal. To increase the protein, add your favourite grilled meat/fish/vegan alternative e.g. grilled chicken or tofu.
- Variety of plant-based ingredients. A wide range of vegetables, herbs, grains, and legumes ensures a wider range of nutrients. This dish has over 10 different plant-based ingredients!
- Seasonal and local produce. Buying groceries from your local farmer’s market or growing your own herbs is a great way to increase your intake of essential vitamins and minerals. Vegetables grown at their peak are the most nutritious.
How to prepare this dish
Step 1. Cook the giant couscous. If you are cooking this in advance, add a dollop of extra-virgin olive oil with a squeeze of lemon or lime before storing it in the fridge in an airtight container. This helps keep it from sticking together.
Step 2. Prepare the vegetables and toppings — massaged kale with olive oil and apple cider vinegar, slices cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn, chillies, black beans, feta, red pepper, red onion, lime juice, chopped coriander and dill, cracked black pepper, and sea salt flakes.
How to massage kale
Raw kale can be tough and unpleasant to chew, so massaging it with olive oil and vinegar helps to break it down and make for a “softer” bite. Add the kale to a bowl with equal parts extra-virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Use clean hands and massage and squeeze the kale for just a few minutes. You will quickly start to feel the kale become softer.
Step 3. Mix everything together. Mix the giant couscous with the vegetables and toppings. Store in the fridge in an airtight container until it’s ready to be served!
MORE RECIPES
- Pan-Fried Plaice with Lemon Orzo Salad
- Honey Roasted Parsnip Spelt Grain Bowl
- Crispy Duck Salad with Orange Slices and Pomegranate Seeds
- Crunchy Cabbage Salad with Toasted Ramen Noodles
Giant Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 120 g giant couscous (uncooked)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 handfuls kale
- 20 cherry tomatoes
- 160 g cooked sweetcorn canned or off the cob
- 1-2 tbsp sliced chillies optional
- 200 g cooked black beans canned, drained, and rinsed
- 120 g feta sub for dairy-free alternative to make it vegan
- 200 g red pepper diced
- 80 g red onion diced
- 2 fresh squeezed limes
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (also called cilantro) chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill
- cracked black pepper and sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Boil water for the giant couscous. Add in the uncooked couscous and simmer for 5-7 minutes. (Different varieties of giant couscous could vary in cooking time – look at packet instructions for specific cooking time.) Drain and set aside.
- Add the kale to a large bowl with the olive oil and vinegar. Massage for just a few minutes until the kale becomes noticeably softer.
- To the same large bowl, add in the cooked couscous, sliced cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn, chillies, black beans, feta, red pepper, red onion, lime juice, coriander (cilantro), dill, cracked black pepper, and sea salt flakes.
- Mix until well combined. Serve immediately or chilled.
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