Couscous, a popular side dish in places like Algeria, Morocco and parts of Italy, is an ingredient I got introduced to only a few years ago. Being Asian, I was so used to eating rice with everything. My first experience was at a Moroccan restaurant and I loved it ever since. It’s really easy to prepare and you can create many kinds of dishes, hot or cold. I decided to whip up a simple warm salad using whole wheat couscous and vegetables.
I enjoy this dish with lots of vegetables and used a frozen mix of peas, carrots and corn, but this recipe is also great with sauteed shrimp or chicken. I like the nuttiness of whole wheat couscous which goes well with the crunchy texture of this salad. If you can’t find whole wheat couscous at your store, regular couscous is perfectly fine.
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Cook the couscous in vegetable broth. Fluff and set aside.
Whisk dressing in a small bowl and set aside.
Saute garlic in olive oil, then add couscous and stir until crispy. Add vegetables.
In a bowl, toss together couscous, vegetables, greens and dressing.
Crispy Whole Wheat Couscous Salad Recipe
For the dressing
To make the couscous, boil vegetable broth and salt together in a medium pot. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover the pot and let sit for 5-7 minutes, until couscous is cooked and the liquid has absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork and set aside.
In a large pan heat olive oil over medium-high heat, then add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the couscous and cook for about 20-25 minutes until couscous is golden brown and crispy, stirring around every 5 minutes. In the meantime, mix together the dressing in a small bowl.
When couscous is cooked to desired crispness, stir in the mixed vegetables. Transfer the couscous to a bowl and toss together the chopped greens, parsley and dressing.
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: makes 4 servings
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