Couscous chickpeas salad
Couscous chickpeas salad is a vibrant and nutritious dish that brings together an array of flavors and textures. Whether you’re looking for a hearty lunch, a refreshing side dish, or a healthy meal prep option, this salad is the perfect choice. Packed with wholesome ingredients like couscous, chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and a zesty dressing, this dish offers a perfect balance of taste and nutrition.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup water
- 1 can (1½cup) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 cup white cabbage shredded
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup green olives sliced
- ⅓ cup pine nuts toasted
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
Dressing
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp harrisa paste adjust for spice preference
- 1 tsp dried herbs oregano or thyme, or mixed
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by cooking the couscous. Simply bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and remove from heat. Stir in the couscous, cover, and let it sit for about 5 minutes until the grains absorb the liquid. Fluff it with a fork to separate the grains.
- Toast the pine nuts. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add the pine nuts, and stir frequently for 2-3 minutes until they turn golden brown. Be careful not to burn them.
- While the couscous is resting, chop and prepare the vegetables. Shred the white cabbage finely, grate the carrot, and finely chop the red onion. Slice the green olives and chop the parsley.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, harissa, dried herbs, garlic powder, paprika, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Adjust seasoning according to your taste preference.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the fluffed couscous, chickpeas, cabbage, carrot, red onion, green olives, and pine nuts. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well coated. Garnish with fresh parsley.
- You can serve this salad immediately or let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour to allow the flavors to meld together.