Warm Couscous Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
These salads make great weeknight meals. You can cook the couscous, vegetables, and dressing ahead of time and reheat throughout the week!
Ingredients
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: approx. 30 minutes
Yield: Enough for about 4 quinoa bowls
2c tri-color pearl couscous
2 tbs butter
3c water (or chicken stock)
1 stalk asparagus
1 bag (24 oz) rainbow potatoes
2c chopped carrots
Fresh mozzarella pearls
Olive oil, salt, and pepper
Red pepper vinaigrette
2 peppers roasted and skinned (1/2 c roasted pepper)
1 1/2 tbs honey
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs balsamic vinaigrette
1 large clove of garlic
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 c olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Preparing the Vegetables and Couscous
Pre-heat the oven to 400F and line 2-3 baking trays with tin foil
Chop your asparagus, potatoes, and carrots into bite-sized pieced. Toss in olive oil until coated, add salt and pepper.
Place on a baking tray and bake. I usually put the asparagus on a tray alone as it cooks faster, about 15 min. Then I cook the potatoes and carrots together for 20-25 mins. Cool and set aside.
While the vegetables are baking make your couscous. Bring your water or chicken stock to a boil. Add the couscous, butter and 1 tsp salt (optional). Stir to combine, cover the saucepan and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until couscous is cooked
Making The Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
Roast your red peppers, this can be done on a grill or under a broiler. If you’re doing this under the broiler cut the pepper into 2-3 pieces - you want the largest flattest piece possible. Place on a baking sheet, skin side up, and put under the broiler until the skin is blackened. You want a truly charred, blackened skin (don’t skimp). Once it is done place in a paper bag or fold in tin foil. Leave until cooled, approximately 30 mins. At this point the skin should easily peel off or can be removed using a butter knife. If you’re grilling it the same rules apply, just don’t cut the pepper and rotate it until the entire pepper is blackened.
Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend - dressing done!
Assembly
Place approximately 1 cup cooked couscous in a bowl, top with cooked vegetables, dressing, and mozzarella. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge! These are just some of my favorites. This can be easily reheated in the microwave as well.
