Israeli Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Updated October 06, 2020
We didn't plant a big garden this year, only herbs, but we still have an abundance of summer vegetables thanks to neighbors and the farmers market. Our counter was overflowing with vegetables so I decided to roast a big pan of veggies. I used eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, onion, and garlic. When the vegetables were done roasting I made a Israeili Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables.
Josh likes couscous but he loves Israeli couscous. It is his favorite. Israeli couscous, which is sometimes called pearl couscous, is a small semolina pasta. It has a springy, chewy texture and is larger in size than the traditional yellow North African couscous. Israeli couscous is toasted and has a slightly nutty flavor. I buy it at Whole Foods or Sunflower Market in the bulk bins. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it, especially in this salad:)
To make the salad, I combined the Israeli couscous and roasted vegetables in a large bowl. I also added fresh basil and feta cheese. Next, I made a simple balsamic dressing and poured it over the salad. I stirred the salad until it was well coated with the dressing. We enjoyed the salad at room temperature, but it is also good chilled. This salad keeps well and makes great leftovers.
If you can't keep up with your garden vegetables, make this Israeli Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables. It is easy and you can use up several of your vegetables at once. It is also a great salad to serve at your Labor Day party. It is fresh, healthy, and perfect for the end of summer.
Israeli Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 small eggplant chopped
- 1 small zucchini chopped
- 1 small yellow squash chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped, seeds removed
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups water
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups dry Israeli Couscous
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
- 1/3 cup feta cheese
- For the Balsamic Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- 1. To roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, onion, and garlic on a large baking sheet. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper. Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 30-35 minutes, stirring vegetables occasionally. Remove vegetables from the oven and set aside.
- 2. In a medium saucepan, bring three cups of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, stir in the Israeli couscous. Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until couscous is just tender, with a slight bite, about 10 to 13 minutes. Drain into a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- 3. In a large bowl, combine couscous and roasted vegetables. Stir in the basil and feta cheese.
- 4. To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over couscous and vegetables and stir until well combined. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Have you tried this recipe?
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If you like this Israeli Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables, you might also like:
- Green Israeli Couscous Salad from Joy the Baker
- Israeli Couscous Taco Salad from What's Gaby Cooking?
- Israeli Couscous Greek Salad from Healthy Green Kitchen