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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Published: Oct 29, 2020 · Modified: Nov 22, 2022 · This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

    Couscous Warm Salad

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    V

    I like making this warm couscous salad, which works perfectly as a main dish; due to its ingredients' richness, it is hard to beat in the Nutrition Department, so make in batches, and you won't have to worry about being well nurtured for a couple of days.

    couscous side
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This recipe was inspired by the undisputable Lebanese Salad: Tabbouleh, also on this site. It is one of the World's renowned couscous recipes.

    We usually make this recipe during the fall season, when you want to eat a salad, but you want it to be cozy, not as fresh as your regular salads; making it one of our favorite recipes from autumn.

    Jump to:
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💡 Tips
    • 🧂 Flavor and Seasoning
    • 🍶 Substitutions
    • 🧐 Let's talk about protein
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 📚 More Heart-Warming Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 🌡️ Food safety
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    🧾 Ingredients

    Get some nice fresh vegetables like Eggplants, Bell Peppers, and Onions.

    Eggplant
    Red Bell Peppers
    Red Onion
    • Couscous
    • Sprouted lentils (optional)
    • Arugula
    • Olive oil
    • Paprika
    • Turmeric
    • 3.5 ounces almonds raw
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Mint (optional)

    To roast:

    • Eggplant
    • Red bell pepper
    • Red onion
    • Garlic
    • Avocado oil
    • Thyme

    🔪 Instructions

    Dice the veggies and bake them with a splash of extra virgin olive oil. Or over a lined parchment paper to avoid sticking and omit the oil.

    diced veggies to grill

    How to make couscous? Simply hydrate the couscous with the same volume of warm water for 5 minutes.

    If you are using olive oil, you can choose to hydrate the couscous in a marinade of olive oil and lemon juice for five minutes and then stir in the mix in the salad. This is the same method used to make the traditional Tabbouleh Salad. The only difference is that Tabbouleh uses Burghul wheat, which takes a little longer to soften.

    couscous

    Cut the cherry tomatoes and pan-fry them face-down.

    Roast your almonds if you have raw ones.

    Chop your mint and arugula.

    Then, take your veggies out of the oven and assemble them. Use a large bowl and mix with the rest of the ingredients, except for the grilled tomatoes. If you are using sprouted lentils, mix them in as well.

    Sprouted Lentils

    Serve with grilled tomatoes on top.

    grilled cherry tomatoes-on top of couscous salad

    💡 Tips

    To make this recipe outstanding, you need to balance the number of textures in it. I am a big fan of textures; they are such an essential part of the eating experience.

    🧂 Flavor and Seasoning

    I recently read one of the most exciting gastronomy books I have come across lately: Flavor: The Science of Our Most Neglected Sense.

    I understood something that was a turning page for me: how the sense of touch affects our eating experience.

    couscous warm salad

    Our tongues perceive texture using the sense of touch, becoming part of what we call flavor.

    Who doesn't use crunchy, silky, and hard words when describing their bites?

    So, yes, we use a lot of textures here.

    • Crunchiness: Delivered by sprouted lentils, roasted almonds, and fresh leafy greens.
    • Softness: The grilled tomatoes and the oil coat all the ingredients, bringing silkiness to your bite.
    • Heat: yes! How hot and spicy your food is, is something you experience with your sense of touch.
    • Freshness: delivered by the mint, arugula, and also the water of the lentil's sprouts.

    So, many sensory experiences are tickled: taste, touch, smell (brought by the combination of the spices), sight as a very colorful dish, and hearing, as you can hear your bites… all contributing to your final flavor takeaway.

    CousCous warm salad

    🍶 Substitutions

    • Couscous - replace for farro, orzo, pearl couscous, quinoa or burghul wheat.
    • Sprouted lentils - use any other sprouts, such as soy or broccoli sprouts.
    • Almonds - replace with your choice of nuts, such as walnuts and even sunflower seeds work perfectly.
    • Veggies - change the eggplant or red bell pepper for other easy roast vegetables, such as zucchini or sweet potatoes.

    Read on: Tofu Buddha Bowl and Vegan Poke Bowl

    🧐 Let's talk about protein

    As you may know, lentils are one of the best protein sources in a plant-based diet.

    If you are curious about vegan protein sources, I recommend reading this 6 mins great article on the matter. When you sprout lentils, studies have shown to enhance their amino acid profile, increase their protein concentration, and improve the quality and availability of their vitamins and minerals, amongst other great benefits.

    Note: Please refer to our two-step Sprout Lentils guide before making this recipe.

    So, we use them in different recipes, including salads, hamburgers, and soups (don't miss the Hearty and Spicy Sprouted Lentils Soup).

    Sprouted lentils have an earthy taste and don't need cooking. In addition, they have a crunchy texture that goes well as an addition to several dishes.

    Read on: Vegan Chickpea and Avocado Salad

    ❓ FAQ

    Is couscous gluten-free?

    No, couscous is not gluten-free.
    Despite the rice-like and quinoa appearance, couscous is made from semolina, which is a durum wheat granule. Therefore, it is not gluten-free. Couscous is commonly mistaken for being gluten-free.

    📚 More Heart-Warming Recipes

    • Protein-Packed Saffron Garbanzo Beans
    • Curried Hearty and Spicy Sprouted Lentils Soup

    ⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

    📋 Recipe

    CousCous Sprouted Lentils Warm Salad featured

    Couscous Warm Salad

    Gus
    A salad that works perfectly as a main dish; due to its ingredients’ richness, it is hard to beat on the Nutrition Department, so make in batches, and you won’t have to worry about being well nurtured for a couple of days.
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine Healthy, Middle Eastern-Inspired
    Servings 6 Servings
    Calories 341 kcal

    Equipment

    our favorite rectangular silver baking tray.
    (affiliate link)
    Rectangular Baking Tray (affiliate link)
    glass mixing bowls.
    (affiliate link)
    Glass mixing bowl (affiliate link)
    copper measuring cups and spoons.
    (affiliate link)
    measuring cups (affiliate link)
    15 Piece Kitchen Knife Set with Block by Cuisinart, Cutlery Set, Triple Rivet Collection.
    (affiliate link)
    Knife (affiliate link)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup couscous dry
    • 8 ounces lentils sprouted, optional
    • 3.5 ounces arugula coarsely chopped
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
    • ½ teaspoons paprika sweet
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric ground
    • 1 teaspoons sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 3 tablespoons mint fresh, chopped
    • 3.5 ounces almonds raw
    • 6 cherry tomatoes

    To Grill:

    • 1 eggplant diced
    • 1 red bell pepper diced
    • 1 red onion small
    • 1 clove garlic crushed
    • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon thyme dried
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Directions
     

    • Chop. Start by chopping your onion, red bell pepper, and eggplant in dice, add the crushed garlic.
      1 eggplant, 1 red bell pepper, 1 red onion, 1 clove garlic
    • Toss. Place the veggies in a bowl and toss the veggies with olive oil and thyme.
      1 teaspoons sea salt, ½ teaspoon thyme, 2 tablespoons avocado oil
    • Grill on a tray for 25 mins at 400ºF (200ºC).
    • Hydrate the Couscous with triple the amount of warm water for 5 mins.
      1 cup couscous
    • Cut the cherry tomatoes in halves and pan fry them, face down.
      6 cherry tomatoes
    • Roast your almonds if you have raw ones (which I highly recommend, given the beautiful aroma it adds to the dish).
      3.5 ounces almonds
    • Chop your mint and arugula.
      3 tablespoons mint, 3.5 ounces arugula
    • Remove from the oven and assemble. Take your veggies from the oven and assemble in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients (except for the tomatoes).
      8 ounces lentils, ½ teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Serve with the grilled tomatoes on top.
      6 cherry tomatoes

    Notes

    If you choose to use Sprouted Lentils, please refer to our two-step guide to Sprout Lentils before making this recipe at the Cooking Tips section of this page.

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 10gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 1179mgPotassium: 592mgFiber: 8gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1251IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram and Hashtag it #ourplantbasedworld so we can see what's cooking!!
    Nutrition Facts
    Couscous Warm Salad
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    341
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    18
    g
    28
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    13
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Sodium
     
    1179
    mg
    51
    %
    Potassium
     
    592
    mg
    17
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    38
    g
    13
    %
    Fiber
     
    8
    g
    33
    %
    Sugar
     
    7
    g
    8
    %
    Protein
     
    10
    g
    20
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1251
    IU
    25
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    41
    mg
    50
    %
    Calcium
     
    106
    mg
    11
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Learn more about Sprouting Lentils and its benefits.

     
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    🌡️ Food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

    Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kate says

      December 11, 2020 at 1:27 pm

      I love recipes like this! it's an inspiration for me every day:) I will add all the ingredients in my fitatu to shop then:) I will let you konw how was that!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        December 11, 2020 at 6:23 pm

        I am glad you like it and that you find it inspirational! That's what we strive for! Can't wait to know how it turns out for you! Let us know 🙂

        Reply
    2. Taly says

      July 19, 2021 at 6:36 pm

      Hola! me gustaría saber si se puede reemplazar el cuscús por lentejas u otras legumbres germinadas para hacer esta ensalada...
      Gracias! Saludos!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        August 01, 2021 at 10:58 am

        si, la ensalado original lleva lentejas germinadas ya. Puedes utilizar cualquier otro grano germinado.
        Si no quieres usar couscous, también puedes usar el trigo burgol, farroo el orzo, también muy buenos

        Reply
    3. Dannii says

      August 16, 2021 at 6:25 pm

      5 stars
      Oh yum. All my favourite things in this salad. I love finding new ways to use couscous.

      Reply
    4. Emily Flint says

      August 16, 2021 at 6:57 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and good for you, my favorite combination. The grilled tomatoes are one of the best things ever. Great recipe!

      Reply
    5. Beth says

      August 16, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so delicious and very tasty! We are going to love this to go with our dinner tonight. Sounds wonderful and I’m so excited to make this!

      Reply
    6. Sara Welch says

      August 16, 2021 at 7:46 pm

      5 stars
      This was everything a gourmet salad should be, and then some! Loved all the flavors and textures; easily, a new favorite salad!

      Reply
    7. Elizabeth says

      August 16, 2021 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      This is delicious! Very flavorful and filling, great as a side dish or main meal!

      Reply
    8. Angela says

      August 31, 2021 at 10:35 pm

      5 stars
      This is a lovely hearty salad. The lentils and couscous with mint is the best part.

      Reply
    9. Angela says

      August 31, 2021 at 10:39 pm

      5 stars
      What a fabulous recipe! The combination of couscous with lentils and all of the spices are amazing!

      Reply
    10. Pam says

      August 31, 2021 at 10:52 pm

      5 stars
      This salad was hearty, full of flavor and so bright and beautiful!

      Reply
    11. Beth says

      August 31, 2021 at 11:44 pm

      5 stars
      I love finding new way to use couscous in recipes and we can’t wait to make this delicious salad again! Absolutely loved here and perfect for Labor Day weekend!

      Reply
    12. Anjali says

      September 01, 2021 at 1:07 am

      5 stars
      This was the perfect side dish for our dinner tonight! It was easy to make and so flavorful!

      Reply

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