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Vegetable Couscous Salad with Dill Vinaigrette

This fresh Vegetable Couscous Salad is tossed with spinach, peas, mushrooms, jicama, mozzarella, pine nuts, and a bright dill vinaigrette. Toasting the couscous first adds nutty flavor, while the jicama adds crisp texture and subtle sweetness.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Vegetable Couscous
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 209kcal
Author: Lee Clayton Roper

Ingredients

Dill Vinaigrette

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • Kosher salt to taste

Vegetable Couscous

  • 3/4 cup Moroccan couscous
  • 1 1/8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup sliced fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms large slices cut in half
  • 1/3 cup green peas fresh or frozen, thawed and drained
  • 1/4 cup peeled and chopped jicama
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • 2 large chopped green onions white, light green and some of the dark green portion
  • 2 ounces chopped mozzarella cheese low moisture, part-skim
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Dill Vinaigrette

  • Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, lemon zest, cumin, garlic and dill. Season to taste with salt.
  • Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to blend.

Vegetable Couscous Salad

  • Place couscous in a large skillet and toast over medium heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir constantly after about 2 minutes.
  • Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  • Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove lid and fluff couscous with a fork.

Assembly

  • Place couscous in a large mixing bowl with spinach, mushrooms, peas, jicama, pine nuts, onions and cheese. Toss to combine.
  • Add vinaigrette; toss until all ingredients are well coated.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes

Lee's Tips
  1. Watch the couscous carefully when toasting. It can quickly become too brown or even burn.
  2. Fluff the couscous with a fork. This keeps it light and prevents it from clumping together.
  3. Don’t skip toasting the pine nuts. Toasting gives them better flavor, color, and crunch.
  4. Use fresh baby spinach. Its soft texture works best in this recipe.
Make Ahead and Storage
Earlier in the day: Prep the salad ingredients and make the vinaigrette, but don’t toss them together yet. Leave out the pine nuts until tossing so they stay crunchy.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate the couscous mixture and dressing separately. Just before serving, add the pine nuts and vinaigrette, then toss gently.
Tip: To keep the mushrooms from browning, brush the slices lightly with lemon juice before adding them to the salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 681IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1mg