Home » By Season » Fall » Autumn Pearl Couscous Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
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This pearl couscous salad is the epitome of Autumn! Loaded with roasted butternut squash chunks, tons of sweet cranberries, nutty pecans, all tossed with Israeli couscous, and a dijon vinaigrette.
Favorite salad of the season right here.
Okay, so I say that about salads all the time but the truth of the matter is, I love discovering new ways of combining ingredients/dressing and pairing them with beautiful colors, textures, flavors, and um.. hello, nutrition?
And after having a weekend filled with recipe testing iced pumpkin spiced old fashioned doughnuts, (they’re comin’, they’re comin’) I need a lot of this salad to reel me back into the world of normal, healthy food.
What gets me the most about this pearl couscous salad is the simple dijon vinaigrette dressing. It’s easy, it’s homemade with ingredients you keep in the pantry, and it’s way better than the store-bought stuff.Did I mention that it’s just tossing ingredients into a mason jar and giving it a couple of good shakes?Sometimes I catch myself singing “Shake It Off” while shaking the dressing. And it totally makes making dressing just a little more fun.
Let’s reflect on the Israeli couscous (or pearl couscous) in this salad for a second. They are small, teeny, tiny little nuggets of toasted semolina flour or wheat flour that closely resembles pasta. I love the chewy, slight nuttiness of it in the salad as it pairs beautifully with the roasted butternut squash and the dried cranberries.
Pearl couscouscan be difficult to find sometimes, so you could simply replace it with orzo pasta, cooked wild rice, or a wild rice blend. Either way, with or without the pearl couscous, this autumn harvest salad is perfect for this time of year.
Dressing – like I said, it’s simple ingredients that you’ve most likely already have at home
- orange juice (apple will work too)
- dijon mustard
- garlic powder
- honey
- olive oil
- apple cider vinegar
Roasted Butternut Squash.????
Because, I’m on a mission to fit in as much squash into my diet as humanly possible in these next couple of months. I’m like a squirrel hogging it all to myself. It’s the perfect ‘meaty’ vegetable that this pearl couscous salad needs. It’s earthy, hearty, and filling. Just a simple toss in olive oil with a pinch ofsalt and pepper and I let it all roasted up in the oven for 25 minutes giving it a toss every 10 minutes or so. Easy babysitting but totally worth it because it takes a regular old salad to the next level.
And we like next level salads, don’t we?
The last step before eating, give it all a good toss in the dressing! Keep in mind the dressing will cause the spinach to wilt so if you don’t think you’ll be able to finish it all in one go, dress half the salad and leave the other half for later. this makes 4 decent sized servings of the pearl couscous salad. We almost always have leftovers so I only dress halfand keep the rest separate so lunch is just as fresh as dinner.
For an added crunch, you can sneak if a handful of sesame sticks. I get them from Trader Joe’s and we pretty much deck out every salad with them. 🙂
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
This pearl couscous salad is the epitome of Autumn! Loaded with roasted butternut squash chunks, tons of sweet cranberries, nutty pecans, all tossed with Israeli couscous, and a dijon vinaigrette.
Ingredients
salad:
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups dry pearl couscous, (cooked to package directions)
- 3 heaping cups baby spinach
- ½ cup EACH: thinly sliced red onions, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans
dressing:
- 3 tablespoons EACH: orange juice and honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place the diced butternut squash on a baking sheet, toss in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread squash out in an even layer. Roasted squash for 20-25 minutes total, tossing halfway through or as needed. While the squash is roasting, prepare the couscous according to package directions.
- DRESSING: Add the orange juice, mustard, garlic powder, honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a mason jar. Screw on the lid and shake until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- ASSEMBLE: In a large bowl, toss together all the ingredients of the salad with the dressing and serve. Alternately, you can dress only portions of the salad and refrigerate the rest in an airtight container.
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FAQs
Dress it up
- Herbs: Couscous will always be better with a fresh lift of herbs. ...
- Lemon: Grated lemon rind and a squeeze of juice will add extra zing.
- Nuts: Toasted pine nuts or a few slivered almonds add lovely crunch.
- Fruit: Many versions of couscous include dried fruit such as apricots or currants.
Pearl couscous cooking instructions
Begin by rinsing couscous in a colander with cold water, making sure to agitate the couscous with your hands to rinse it. Drain immediately. Add couscous and olive oil, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until all liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally, bout 10 minutes.
How much water do I need for 2 cups of pearl couscous? ›
Pearl couscous: You need 1 cup of uncooked pearl couscous, which will yield about 3 cups when cooked. Water: For a cup of uncooked couscous, you need 1 ½ cups water or other cooking liquid (such as broth). Kosher salt: If you use broth instead of water, you may not need any salt, depending on how salty the broth is.
Is pearl couscous healthy? ›
Healthy Facts: Pearl couscous is a source of fiber. Fiber helps you feel fuller for longer, helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, aids digestion, and can help reduce constipation. Pearl couscous is low in sugar and is lower on the Glycemic Index.
When to add spices to couscous? ›
Dried spices and herbs can be added to the raw couscous before pouring over the water. The couscous can be 'toasted' in butter or oil before cooking to give it a nuttier flavour.
Is couscous healthier than rice? ›
While couscous and white rice have almost the same amount of calories per 100 grams, couscous contains more protein and higher amounts of vitamins and minerals so can be considered a healthier option in those departments. Both grains can support weight loss when incoporated into a balanced, healthy diet.
What is the difference between couscous and pearl couscous? ›
The main difference between pearl couscous and Moroccan couscous is the size. The grains of Moroccan couscous are much smaller, compared to the pea-size granules in the pearl variety (made memorable by their namesake). This, of course, affects the preparation and cooking time of each grain.
How to tell if couscous is done? ›
Generally, you can tell when couscous is done when the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender. If the couscous hasn't absorbed the water or still tastes crunchy after your timer goes off, cover and let it sit for a few more minutes.
How much couscous does 1 cup make? ›
1 cup of dry couscous will give you about 2 to 2 ½ cups of cooked couscous, which should generously feed 4 people (you should budget ⅓ cup to ½ cup per person).
How to stop pearl couscous sticking together? ›
If you don't fluff your couscous after cooking it, you run the risk of your pearls sticking together in a clumpy mass. Luckily, fluffing couscous is as easy as cooking it. All you have to do is take a fork and give it a good stir, separating the semolina balls from each other.
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- 4Moroccan chicken with sticky roasted vegetables. ...
- 5Moroccan-spiced roasted eggplant and tomato. ...
- 6Lamb meatball tagine with couscous. ...
- 7Moroccan chicken with beetroot couscous. ...
- 8Easy fish tagine.
High in Gluten
Since couscous is made from semolina flour, it contains gluten. This makes it off limits for those with a gluten allergy or intolerance. Though only about 1% of the population has a gluten intolerance known as celiac disease, it's thought that 0.5–13% of people may have non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Can I eat couscous every day? ›
Health Benefits of Integrating Couscous into Your Diet
From being a rich source of protein to its relatively high fibre content, couscous offers a nutritional boost that can positively impact your overall well-being and offer a welcome alternative to eating pasta every day of the week.
Is Pearl couscous better for you than pasta? ›
Couscous has a nutritional profile similar to white pasta, high in carbohydrates without other health benefits such as fiber or protein content. If you are looking to enjoy food with a higher carbohydrate content, there isn't much difference between choosing pasta or couscous.
What can I add to couscous to make it less dry? ›
I cook couscous with a third more water then the amount of cous cous, then throw some butter in to stop it drying out. Big fan of cous cous, it just takes on any flavour you throw at it, soy sauce, chicken stock, chilli sauce, whatever. All good.
How do you moisten dry couscous? ›
The couscous we buy at the market today is pre cooked. That means it's pretty much ready to go right out of the box–one of the main reasons we love it so much. But it really only needs 5 minutes in very hot or simmering (not boiling) water (it varies by brand) to let moisture seep back in.
Why is couscous bland? ›
Couscous is a dish made of tiny steamed balls of semolina flour, and like any grain-based staple, couscous can either have a subtle yet delicious flavor or turn out incredibly bland, depending on how you cook it. If your couscous is always boring and flat-tasting, try cooking it in something besides plain water.
Favorite salad of the season right here.
Let’s reflect on the Israeli couscous (or pearl couscous) in this salad for a second. They are small, teeny, tiny little nuggets of toasted semolina flour or wheat flour that closely resembles pasta. I love the chewy, slight nuttiness of it in the salad as it pairs beautifully with the roasted butternut squash and the dried cranberries.
Roasted Butternut Squash.????
The last step before eating, give it all a good toss in the dressing! Keep in mind the dressing will cause the spinach to wilt so if you don’t think you’ll be able to finish it all in one go, dress half the salad and leave the other half for later. this makes 4 decent sized servings of the pearl couscous salad. We almost always have leftovers so I only dress halfand keep the rest separate so lunch is just as fresh as dinner.
