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Cauliflower Couscous Salad! This tabbouleh-inspired salad is refreshing, packed with veggies, and easy to make. It comes with roasted cauliflower spiced with ras el-hanout and harissa and a vibrant mint and basil dressing.
Let’s make this salad happen!
It all starts with the cauliflower, which is first coated with olive oil and ras el-hanout before being roasted until golden brown. We also have red bell peppers that are roasted as well and add a natural sweetness to the salad.
While the cauliflower and bell pepper are in the oven, you prepare the couscous. It literally takes 5 minutes, and couscous doesn’t need to be cooked for several minutes like rice or pasta. So, you just have to pour boiling water over it and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork, and it’s ready!
Next, we have the dressing. It consists of fresh basil and fresh mint blended with olive oil, lime juice, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. You can use regular basil or Thai basil if you want a delicate anise flavor. I almost always use Thai basil because I love the flavor!
This salad comes together very quickly, is loaded with healthy greens and veggies, and is so satisfying!
If you are looking for more salads, check out this Creamy Cucumber Salad with Miso Tempeh, Arugula & Sweet Potato Salad, or this Easy Vietnamese Papaya Salad!
Let me know in the comments if you try this Cauliflower Couscous Salad recipe!
Basil & Mint Cauliflower Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
- 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp ras el-hanout
- 1/4 tsp harissa paste optional
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup uncooked couscous
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup kale or arugula, baby spinach, etc, chopped
- 4 small radishes sliced
- 1/2 carrot sliced
Dressing
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup fresh mint
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp salt or more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower florets with the sliced red bell pepper. Add the oil, ras el-hanout, harissa paste, salt, and stir to coat. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the couscous. Add the dry couscous to a bowl, and set aside. Pour the 3/4 cup of water into a small saucepan. Add the salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, pour over the couscous. Cover with a plate and let it sit for about 5 minutes. The couscous will soak in the water and cook. After 5 minutes, use a fork to mix it and make it fluffy.
- Prepare the dressing: in a small blender, combine the fresh basil, mint, olive oil, lime juice, white vinegar, maple syrup, and salt. Blend on high speed until the herbs are very finely chopped. Set aside.
- To make the salad, combine the roasted cauliflower, red bell peppers, couscous, kale, radishes, and carrot in a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing and stir to coat.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.
- The couscous salad will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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