Couscous Cranberry Salad with Pecans

Couscous with Dried Cranberries and Pecans is quick and easy to prepare, full of fall flavors including cranberry and cinnamon, and beautiful on the plate!

this Recipe

You Will Love This Couscous Salad Recipe

Couscous is a wonderful alternative to rice or potatoes as a side dish. A coarse, ground pasta, couscous granules are made from crushed durum wheat. It takes only minutes to prepare, provided you’re using the instant variety (most packaged couscous is). The grain itself doesn’t have much flavor on its own, and therefore should be prepared with herbs, spices and other ingredients – like nuts, dried fruits and/or sautéed vegetables.

For my Couscous with Dried Cranberries and Pecans, I combine couscous with sautéed onion and celery, along with dried cranberries, toasted pecans, orange zest, thyme, sage and cinnamon.  The resulting side dish is savory with a tad of sweetness and a bit of crunch – and it’s perfect for Thanksgiving!

Cranberry Couscous Salad Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy and impressive side dish:

• Plain couscous (instant)
• Butter
• Yellow onion
• Celery
• Dried cranberries
• Large orange
• Cinnamon
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh sage
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Pecans

Here’s a few variations you can consider, based on your taste and/or what you have available:

• Use red onion or shallots instead of yellow onion
• Add or substitute lemon or lime zest
• Add a dash or two of nutmeg and/or allspice
• Substitute almonds, walnuts or pine nuts for the pecans
• Add in some goat or feta cheese crumbles

Couscous vs Quinoa

Quinoa is considered a whole grain (although it’s actually a seed), whereas couscous is make from semolina flour. Quinoa is crunchy and nutty tasting, while couscous is soft and relatively mild. And, Quinoa is naturally gluten free, while couscous is not. You can substitute one for the other in most recipes.

How To Make Couscous Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

Here’s all you have to do to make this fabulous salad:

1. Cook couscous.
   In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
2. Sauté onion and celery.
   Melt butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Stir into couscous.
3. Combine all ingredients (except nuts).
   Add cranberries, orange zest, cinnamon, thyme and sage to couscous and toss to combine.
   Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add pecans.
   Just before serving, stir in chopped pecans (this preserves their crunchy texture).

How To Serve Couscous Cranberry Salad

I like to place the salad in a pretty serving bowl to serve. It pairs well with roast turkey (Thanksgiving!) or one of these main dishes:

• Asian Marinated Pork Tenderloin
• Dry Rubbed Spiced Pork Tenderloin
• Sous Vide Grilled Chicken
• BBQ Chicken
• Grilled Ribeye Steak
• Oven Roast Beef Tenderloin

How To Store this Couscous Salad Recipe

This side dish can be prepared earlier in the day (without the pecans), covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before adding nuts and serving.

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