Couscous Pomegranate Salad
A nourishing salad combining fiber and iron-rich ingredients with a tangy tahini yogurt sauce. Perfect for a nutritious meal with bold flavors.
Servings
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 tsp harissa paste
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup dry wholemeal pearl couscous
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 dash freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 dash sea salt flakes
- 2 cups mesclun salad
- 1 cucumbers finely diced
- 2 tbsp raisins
- ¼ cup fresh mint finely chopped
- ¼ cup pomegranate
- 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- 1 tbsp hulled tahini
- 3 garlic cloves skin on
- 1 lemon
- ½ cup dairy-free yogurt I used soy
- 1 tbsp maple syrup optional - see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360 °F.
- Coat the chickpeas with the harissa paste. Combine the butternut squash with the olive oil, smoked paprika, and cumin. Spread both on a baking tray and bake on the upper rack for 20 to 25 minutes until the chickpeas are crispy.
- Cut the bottom hard part of the garlic cloves while keeping the skin on (this will prevent them from burning), and chop the lemon in half. Add the garlic and lemons (face down) to a baking tray. Cook on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Allow it to cool down slightly, then remove the garlic peel (it should peel off easily with your hands). Then, squeeze out the lemon juice and flesh.
- In the meantime, prepare the couscous: In a small saucepan, combine the pearl couscous, turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Cook according to the couscous packet instructions. Once cooked, rinse under cold water to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the whipped tahini sauce: in a small blender attachment, add the tahini, yogurt, garlic, and roasted lemon juice and flesh. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust with maple syrup if using. Alternatively, if you do not have a blender, smash the garlic with a fork and whisk in the tahini, lemon juice, and yogurt.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the mesclun, cucumber, raisins, roasted butternut squash, and chickpeas. Top with pomegranate, pistachios, and mint, and drizzle the tahini dressing. Adjust salt to taste and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Maple syrup: The sweetness of yogurt varies significantly depending on the brand, as does the bitterness of tahini. After blending, taste the mixture. If you wish, you can add a bit of maple syrup to sweeten the sauce. Keep in mind that the salad itself has some sweet components due to the raisins and butternut squash.
Nutritional Information - Per Serving
Calories 638kcal | Carbohydrates 100g | Protein 24g | Fat 20g | Sodium 178mg | Fiber 25g | Vitamin A 1428IU | Vitamin C 54mg | Calcium 342mg | Iron 11mg