Brighten up chilly days with this colorful winter couscous salad. It’s packed with fresh flavors and crisp vegetables, and served with creamy garlic and dill yogurt. The fresh herbs – dill and mint – make this dish very flavorful and satisfying.
This salad would, of course, be extra delicious with fresh summer garden tomatoes, making it perfect for year-round enjoyment, not just for dreary winter months!
Recipe Notes:
Vegan: You can use any type of non-dairy yogurt to make this recipe vegan, just ensure that it’s unsweetened. Whipped silken tofu is also an excellent substitute for dairy yogurt, especially when flavoring it with savory ingredients.
Winter Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl coucous
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 8-10 leaves fresh mint, chopped, save 4 whole leaves for garnish
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 Tbsp) and zested (about 1 tsp)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or soy yogurt, unsweetened
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- kosher salt + pepper, to taste
Directions
- Combine couscous and vegetable broth (or water) in a medium pot. Note: if using water instead of vegetable broth, add a pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 10 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.
- Meanwhile, whisk together 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper for the dressing.
- Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and chopped mint in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and stir to coat.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining lemon juice, garlic, dill, and Greek yogurt. Stir to combine.
- When the couscous is done, stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil and lemon zest.
- Serve couscous over a bed of fresh baby spinach topped with the tomato and cucumber mixture. Garnish with remaining mint leaves. Serve garlic and dill yogurt on the side.
