Sometime around my sophomore year in college, I started to cook for my friends, and for my family when I was home on vacation. When I was 3,000 miles away from the nest, I really missed home cooking, so my bestie and I would prepare entire dinners on a hot plate, just to avoid the dining hall.
This Roasted Vegetable Couscous was one of my first loves from way back, and believe it or not, has been my ride or die recipe for over a decade! I love it so much because it’s perfect served warm as a side dish, at room temperature for a picnic, or cold (straight out of the fridge when you need a snack, like now!). I always make it a lot in the summer time when the zucchini and peppers are at their peak, but this super easy dish is good all.year.round.
If you haven’t tried roasting vegetables in the oven yet, the time is now! Roasting is hands down my favorite way to prepare veggies because it’s SO easy, and it really intensifies the flavors, making them caramelized, a little crispy, and crazy delicious. *PRO TIP: I ALWAYS roast my veggies in avocado oil (this is my favorite!), because it has a high smoke point, and is full of healthy fats. Also, I season the veggies with Herbs de Provence, which is a beautiful blend of dried herbs that usually has rosemary, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and lavender. You can usually find it at Whole Foods, or right here.
I know this is a little over the top, but the reason I love this dish is because it’s like a harmonious symphony of flavors that jive so well together. The vegetables get a little sweet, the vinaigrette is a bit tangy, the roasted pine nuts add crunch, and the fresh parsley is earthy and savory.
This is the perfect way to use all of those veggies from the farmer’s market, and sure to be the hit of your next BBQ, maybe even along side a plate of Quick Authentic Jaffa-Style Hummus 🙂
Let me know how yours turns out by leaving a comment below, and remember to tag your couscous pics with #lionsbread so I can see what you’re making!
Roasted Vegetable Couscous
Earthy whole wheat couscous, caramelized veggies, crunchy pine nuts, and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette | Summer in a bowl, perfect for picnics and BBQs 🙂
Ingredients
- 1 c whole wheat couscous
- 1 c boiling water
- 2 medium size zucchini
- 3 medium carrots
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 large bell pepper, red, orange, or yellow
- 3 T avocado oil
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp Herbs de Provence
- 1/3 c pine nuts
- 1/2 c roughly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
- Vinaigrette:
- 1 T Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 T honey
- 3 T balsamic vinegar
- 1 small lemon, juiced
- 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 425*F.
- Step 2 Chop the zucchini, carrots, and bell pepper in a large dice, and the onion in half-moons. Place the vegetables on a large baking sheet, and pour the avocado oil over all. Sprinkle kosher salt, pepper, and Herbs de Provence over, and mix well so that all of the veggies are coated with herbs and oil.
- Step 3 Roast for 35-40 minutes, until very caramelized.
- Step 4 In the meantime, place the pine nuts in a small skillet, over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, until they are golden brown. Don’t walk away, they burn very quickly!
- Step 5 In a small bowl, or a mason jar, combine the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, kosher salt, pepper, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and honey. Shake very well. Then add the olive oil, and shake again vigorously, until all of the ingredients are very combined, and the vinaigrette has become thick.
- Step 6 In a large heatproof bowl, combine the dry couscous with 1 c boiling water and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Cover the bowl completely with foil, and let stand for 5-7 minutes. Then, fluff the couscous with a fork.
- Step 7 Add the roasted vegetables to the large bowl with the couscous, along with the parsley, and pine nuts. Stir gently. Pour over the vinaigrette, and combine gently. Taste for seasoning, adding a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
- Step 8 Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Katy Castanos says
Nicely written and photographed LeeAnn ! It sounds delicious too ! P.S. What blog site do you use ?
LeAnne says
Thank you Katy! You have to try it! I’ll send you a message with the details 🙂
Kate says
My goodness, this salad sounds like everything I want to eat from now until forever.
LeAnne says
Thanks Kate! It IS summer in a bowl! I hope you like it 🙂