Israeli Couscous Salad with Cinnamon Ginger
This Israeli Couscous Salad makes a delicious lunch, light dinner, or side dish. It can even be made ahead of time to allow the warm flavors of cinnamon and ginger time to deepen even more.
This couscous salad is both healthy and delicious due to its blend of nutrient-rich vegetables and whole grains, which provide essential vitamins and fiber. The light, zesty dressing adds a burst of flavor while keeping the dish fresh and satisfying.
We have more delicious pasta salad recipes on this website like this amazing dairy-free pasta primavera that is a terrific light summer dinner option, my roasted garlic butter pasta, or our quick and easy vegan pasta salad.
What is couscous?
In many parts of the world, couscous is a pantry staple because it is super easy to cook and pairs well with just about any main or side dish. My Vegan Meatloaf or Lentil Shepherd Pie are terrific served with this delicious pasta dish.
While many people think of couscous as a grain like rice, quinoa, and bulgur, it’s actually a type of pasta that is made with ground durum wheat semolina. Since it is a wheat product, that means it is not gluten-free.
There are a number of different types of couscous, and it’s Israeli couscous (sometimes also called pearl couscous) that is used in this recipe. It’s a larger type and requires a little extra cooking time.
Ingredients you will need
- Pasta- Pearl, or Israeli, couscous has much larger pieces of pasta than the more familiar style and brings an interesting texture to a very easy-to-make dish.
- Apricots- This recipe calls for dried apricots that add an earthy, almost dessert-like flavor and will compliment any main course.
- Bell pepper- Use colorful bell peppers to add a crunch and sweetness to this salad.
- Seasonings- Ginger and cinnamon are the seasonings of choice that blend so well with couscous pasta to create the perfect flavor.
How to make Israeli couscous salad
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Add the uncooked couscous to a dry saucepan to toast for about 1 minute. This toasting adds a nice nutty flavor, but be sure to watch it closely to prevent burning.
STEP #2: In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in the toasted dry couscous, salt, and ginger and return to a boil. Cooking couscous pasta is as easy as cooking rice and it can be done right on your stovetop. The smaller types require the least amount of time, but Israeli or pearl couscous is larger and takes about 10 minutes to cook fully.
STEP #3: Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes.
STEP #4: Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add apricots, peppers, parsley, and cinnamon. Garnish with toasted almonds, if desired, and serve immediately.
This recipe comes from a book titled, Eat Plants Feel Whole, by Dr. George Guthrie, and he along with AdventHealth Press have graciously shared it with us for this post.
Recipe created by Chef Edwin Cabrera. Copyright & Photos © AdventHealth Press
Pro Tips and Variations
- Vegetable Broth- Most couscous packages say to cook it in water, but using vegetable broth instead adds a lot more flavor.
- Toasting Couscous- Use a dry skillet to toast the couscous before boiling to give it a rich nutty flavor, so I highly recommend taking a few minutes to do this. Just be careful not to let it burn.
- Serving Suggestions- Israeli (or pearl) couscous is about the size of a peppercorn when cooked, and it makes a great addition to cold salads and even soups. You might even try it in stir fries like my Oil-Free Broccoli & Red Pepper Stir Fry or these really simple Veggie & Grain Bowls.
- Avoiding Gluten- If you need a gluten-free dish, grains such as quinoa, rice, and bulgur can be substituted in this recipe.
- Pasta salad- Other terrific recipe options are this Easy Vegan Pasta Salad that can be ready in about 20 minutes and Dairy-free Macaroni Salad.
More Vegan Pasta Salad Recipes
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Israeli Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 1 cup Israeli couscous
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- 4 tablespoons dried apricots chopped
- 1.5 tablespoons red bell pepper diced
- 1.5 tablespoons yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- toasted almonds optional topping
Instructions
- Add the uncooked couscous to a dry saucepan to toast for about 1 minute. This toasting adds a nice nutty flavor, but be sure to watch it closely to prevent burning.
- In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in the toasted dry couscous, salt, and ginger and return to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes.
- While this is cooking, go ahead and dice up the peppers and apricots.
- Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add apricots, peppers, parsley, and cinnamon. Garnish with toasted almonds, if desired, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Vegetable Broth- Most couscous packages say to cook it in water, but using vegetable broth instead adds a lot more flavor.
- Toasting Couscous- Use a dry skillet to toast the couscous before boiling to give it a rich nutty flavor, so I highly recommend taking a few minutes to do this. Just be careful not to let it burn.
- Serving Suggestions- Israeli (or pearl) couscous is about the size of a peppercorn when cooked, and it makes a great addition to cold salads and even soups. You might even try it in stir-fries like my Broccoli & Red Pepper Stir Fry or these really simple Veggie & Grain Bowls.
- Avoiding Gluten- If you need a gluten-free dish, grains such as quinoa, rice, and bulgur can be substituted in this recipe.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
What can I sub for the peppers? We have an allergy situation.
Hi Nancy- the peppers can be left out or you could sub out diced tomatoes.