Israeli Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

The beautiful, rich flavor of this Israeli Couscous with roasted vegetables makes a beautiful couscous salad perfect on its own or as a side dish for your dinner.

Our couscous salad recipe is set apart by the delicious homemade creamy balsamic dressing and the perfectly seasoned vegetables for a dish you'll return to time and time again. Plus, it literally goes with anything!

What is Israeli Couscous?

Our Mediterranean couscous salad is made from a special form of wheat flour toasted pasta in the shape of tiny balls. This special pasta was invented in the 1950s in Israel when rice was hard to get. David Ben Gurion the Prime Minister at that time commissioned food companies to come up with a substitute for rice. The Ossem food company came up with ptitim, which is what we call in the US Israeli couscous or pearled couscous. When cooked, pearled couscous has a delightfully chewy texture and nutty flavor.

★ Why You’ll Love This Recipe ★

Delicious. Greek couscous salad is bright, beautiful roasted vegetables and pasta salad with a creamy balsamic dressing that is sure to please every palate.

Versatile. This lovely dish can stand on its own as a meal or serve as a side dish for an infinite number of meals.

Fast. In the time it takes to roast a tray of vegetables, you can pull together a tasty Israeli CousCous salad.

What Goes Into This Mediterranean Couscous Salad?

• Corn. Kernels from 4 ears of fresh sweet corn,  or 2 cups of frozen corn, thawed.
• Cremini Mushrooms. You may use white mushrooms.
• Zucchini. Can be substituted with yellow summer squash if that is what you can find.
• Cherry or Grape Tomatoes.
• Scallions. Slice them up with the white and green parts.
• Spices. Ground coriander and ground cumin.
• Israeli Couscous. Also known as pearl couscous or ptitim.
• Kalamata Olives. Pitted and sliced in half.
• Feta Cheese. You may use vegan feta cheese.
• Creamy Balsamic Dressing. Homemade dressing is so tasty that you won't want anything else.

How to Make this Israeli Couscous Salad (aka pearl couscous)

Making pearl couscous salad is so easy! Roast the vegetables, and when they are about halfway done roasting, make the couscous. When everything is ready, toss it all together with the dressing and olives and feta to serve. The result is a tangy and deliciously filling salad.

Cooking Israeli couscous for the salad

Follow the instructions on the packaging for your favorite couscous brand to boil the Israeli couscous in a saucepan while the vegetables are roasting. Cooking Israeli couscous is not hard; just try to time it to coincide the timing with the vegetables finishing up in the oven. Make sure to stir the couscous occasionally as it cooks.

What to Serve with Israeli Couscous

Pair this delicious dish, which is called ptitim in Hebrew, with the protein of your choice, or eat it as a meal in its own right. Sliced cucumbers, homemade hummus, red bell peppers, and pita bread all work very well as accompaniments for our pearl couscous salad.

This is a great dish to take to picnics or potlucks because it doesn't have to be kept warm and goes with everything.

Variations

1. Choose your favorite vegetables to roast.
2. Add red onion with the roasted vegetables.
3. A dash of fresh lemon juice or a bit of lemon zest adds a nice brightness to your salad.
4. Raisins or toasted almonds will add a nice touch of sweetness when stirred in at the end with the feta.
5. Toss the salad with fresh herbs, fresh mint, fresh basil, baby spinach, parsley, or arugula for a touch of greens in your salad. You might even want to chop up some chives.
6. Add a small amount of honey if you want a bit of sweetness to balance the more acidic balsamic dressing.
7. Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper can be added to taste.
8. Extra garlic is a welcome addition to the roasted vegetables for depth of flavor and character.
9. A little dijon mustard adds an interesting flavor to your Israeli couscous recipe.

FAQ

What’s the difference between couscous and Israeli couscous?

All the different types of couscous are made with semolina flour which is ground durum wheat. Couscous is not a grain it's simply a type of pasta.

Moroccan Couscous: is made by rolling semolina flour and water into tiny irregular pieces. As its name indicates it originates in North Africa. Traditional Moroccan couscous is steamed slowly adding small amounts to obtain a fluffy and light couscous. The couscous most commonly sold in the US, is already pre-steamed Moroccan couscous. Simply follow the package instructions by soaking the couscous in boiling water. This Moroccan-style couscous will be ready to eat in 5 minutes. Enjoythis

Israeli Couscous also called Pearl Couscous: is also made from semolina flour and formed into small pasta balls that are toasted during production giving it a deep nutty flavor and different texture. It takes about 15-20 minutes to cook Israeli couscous. Learn about the history of Israeli couscous in the heading "what is Israeli couscous" found above.

Can I Use Moroccan Couscous Instead?

Yes. Moroccan couscous is different because it is steamed and not toasted, so you don't get that delicious nutty flavor. However, the dish will still work and will still taste good with Moroccan couscous it just won't be the same thing.

How long will Israeli Couscous salad keep?

Place leftover Greek couscous salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you expect to have leftovers, add the feta on each plate as it is served to keep the cheese fresh. The salad should not be frozen.

How should I season and serve Israeli Couscous?

There are so many ways to eat and season Israeli cousoucs. In this recipe we seasoned it with coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Be sure to check out our other Israeli couscous recipes: Spicy Israeli Couscous Salad, Celery Sauce over Israeli Couscous , Roasted Butternut Squash with Israeli Couscous.

Is Israeli Couscous salad healthy?

In as much as this is a pasta dish, it does have carbohydrates in a significant number. However, the roasted vegetables and creamy balsamic dressing are both very high in nutritional value.

Do you have to rinse Israeli Couscous for this salad?

No. you don't rinse Israeli couscous after cooking it.

More Mediterranean Recipes to Love

• Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash with Israeli Couscous and Veggie Sausage
• Lemon & Celery Broth Over Israeli Couscous
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables
• Israeli Couscous Salad with Spicy Dressing
• Sweet and Savory Moroccan Couscous

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