Looking for a colourful, nourishing dish that’s as tasty as it is satisfying? This warm pearl cous cous and veg salad recipe is packed with wholesome ingredients and bold flavours. Roasted pumpkin adds a touch of sweetness, beetroot brings earthy richness, and chickpeas provide plant-based protein to keep you feeling full. Tossed through fluffy pearl couscous with fresh spinach, it’s perfect as a hearty vegetarian main, a lunchbox hero, or a standout side for your next BBQ or gathering.
Loaded Pearl Cous Cous and Veg Salad Recipe
This beetroot, chickpea, spinach and pumpkin pearl couscous is a hearty, colourful dish full of flavour and plant-based goodness. Perfect as a vegetarian main, a side salad, or a meal prep option for busy weeks.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash pumpkin
- 2 med beetroots fresh, peeled
- 2 med zucchinis
- 1 red onion
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes halved or whole (personal preference)
- 1 tin chickpeas drained or,
- 400 g rehydrated chickpeas
- 250 g spinach
- splash olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic chopped
- S+P to taste
Pearl Cous Cous
- A splash of olive oil
- 1 cup pearl cous cous
- 1½ cups stock any flavour you like
Dressing
- â…› cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic glaze or vinegar but glaze is better
- 2 tbsp honey
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander fresh
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley fresh
- S+P to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200℃
- Chop all the veggies then toss them with the chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Split between two trays and cook until beetroot is tender. LEAVE OUT SPINACH!
- Warm a pot over medium heat. Cook the cous cous for five to eight minutes or until golden. In the mean time, make the stock (I make mine with stock powder but you can use pre-made).
- When five minutes is up, add the stock to the pot with the cous cous, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes lid off until the liquid is absorbed and the cous cous is tender.
- To make the dressing, add all of the dressing ingredients to a shaker then give it a good shake.
- When cous cous and veggies are cooked, add to a big bowl and toss. Add in the spinach next and mix it up then add dressing and make sure you give it a good stir.
Notes
I always add extra herbs, just whatever is in my pantry. Get creative.Â
To make it vegan, swap out the honey for another sweet flavour enhancer; try maple syrup, agave syrup, chutney etc.Â
If you don’t have lemon, any citrus will work. We’ve tried orange and it came out great.Â
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