Couscous Salad with Chickpeas and Turmeric
This couscous salad is loaded with fresh raw vegetables! The tangy, garlicky, spiced dressing is what makes this salad delicious!
Servings: 8 portions
Ingredients
For the Couscous
- 1 cup whole wheat couscous
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup boiling water
For the Dressing:
- 5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the Salad
- 19 ounce chickpeas rinsed and drained (1 can)
- 1 small yellow sweet pepper finely diced
- 1 small red sweet pepper finely diced
- 1 small orange sweet pepper finely diced
- ½ medium zucchini finely diced
- ½ medium cucumber finely diced
- 2 tablespoon red onion finely diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives cut into pieces
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries optional
- ⅓ cup parsley finely minced
Instructions
For the Couscous
- Pour couscous in a large bowl. Add salt, black pepper, cinnamon and turmeric. Stir to combine.
- Pour in boiling water, stir, then cover tightly with a pot lid or plate. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, or until water has been absorbed.
- When done cooking, fluffy with a fork and set aside.
For the Dressing:
- Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl, then adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.
For the Salad
- Add chickpeas, vegetables and cranberries to the cooked couscous. Stir to combine.
- Add a small amount of dressing to the salad and taste it. Keep adding dressing until it tastes good to you.*
- Stir in chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
Tips:
- Don't use all of the dressing at once. Add some dressing, and taste your salad, then add more as needed. I use all of the dressing, but you may find that it's too strongly flavoured for you. It's very garlicky!
- Make ahead:
Chop your ingredients, make the dressing, and store in the fridge until ready to eat. Then simply cook the couscous, and combine your prepared ingredients for a quick weeknight dinner. - Leftovers:
Refrigerate immediately, eat within 24 hours for best texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1035IU | Vitamin C: 35.6mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3.4mg
