Dual-Tomato & Herb Whole-Wheat Couscous Salad
A vibrant and satisfying salad featuring tender whole-wheat pearl couscous tossed with a bright lemon vinaigrette, roasted and raw tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and fresh herbs.
Servings 5
Calories 451kcal
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 200 g about 1¼ cups dry whole-wheat Israeli (pearl) couscous
- 5 cups cherry tomatoes divided (2½ cups for roasting, 2½ cups halved, raw)
- 1 15-oz/425 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1¾ cups/280 g)
- 3 small Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves torn
- A scant ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano plus small sprigs for garnish
For Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 –2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 large garlic clove pressed or finely minced
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground sumac optional
- Freshly ground black pepper
For Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Roast Tomatoes: Preheat oven to 120°C/250°F. Toss 2½ cups cherry tomatoes with 1–2 tbsp olive oil and ¼ tsp salt on a lined sheet. Roast 2½–3 hours until collapsed and jammy; cool.
- Roast Chickpeas: Increase oven to 200°C/400°F. Pat chickpeas dry; toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, and ¼ tsp salt. Roast 20–25 minutes, shaking once, until crisp; cool.
- Cook Couscous: Boil in salted water per package until al dente (about 8–10 minutes). Drain well and place in a large bowl to cool slightly.
- Make Vinaigrette: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, ½ tsp salt, sumac (if using), and several grinds of black pepper.
- Assemble: Toss warm couscous with vinaigrette. Add raw halved tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, roasted chickpeas, cucumbers, basil, and chopped oregano; toss gently. Top with feta and garnish with oregano sprigs. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Per serving- Calories: ~451 kcal
- Total Fat: ~19.6 g
- Saturated Fat: ~4.2 g
- Sodium: ~680 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: ~55.5 g
- Dietary Fiber: ~8.4 g
- Total Sugars: ~7.8 g
- Protein: ~13.9 g