Description
Learn how to make and enjoy this easy side dish. Pearl couscous salad with cherry tomatoes and toasted pine nuts is a healthy and delicious salad!
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved
- 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, see notes
- 3 tbsps pine nuts, see notes
- 1 cup dried pearl couscous (or Israeli couscous same thing)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste (if using stock, see notes below)
- 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts: You can use raw untoasted pine nuts or omit them entirely, see the notes below. To toast, bring a small skillet to medium-high heat, add the [wprm-ingredient text="3 tbsps pine nuts, see notes" uid="5"] stir to avoid them burning, remove from the skillet onto a cold plate or surface to stop the cooking process. Leave to cool and continue with the recipe.
You can also add them to a cold skillet and wait for them to turn golden brown. I find adding them to an already heated skillet speeds up the process. - Toast the couscous: In a large saucepan (with a lid) on medium-high heat, add enough [wprm-ingredient text="2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, see notes" uid="0"] to coat the bottom of your pan.
You should have a kettle on with boiling water somewhere in-between.
Wait for the oil to heat up and then add the dry[wprm-ingredient text="1 cup dried pearl couscous (or Israeli couscous same thing)1 1/2 cups water" uid="1"] and toast for a couple minutes (average of 3 minutes from the time the oil is hot) or until a light golden brown color. - Cook the couscous: Once the couscous is toasted, pour in [wprm-ingredient text="1 1/2 cups water<wprm-ingredient uid="3" removed="0">" uid="2"] which will cover the couscous and[wprm-ingredient text="1/2 tsp salt or to taste (if using stock, see notes below)" uid="6"] Leave it come to a boil then lower the setting to medium heat, cover with a lid and let it simmer for 15 mintues. The couscous will cook just like pasta until al dente but the water would have evaporated.
- Steam finished: When the water is evaporated, on the 15 minute mark (see notes below) remove the couscous from the heat and leave the lid on for 5 minutes, let it steam finish.
- Prep the salad veg: While it steams finished in the last 3 to 5 minutes, rinse and halve the[wprm-ingredient text="2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved" uid="3"] and chop the [wprm-ingredient text="2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or thyme" uid="4"].
- Combine and serve: Fluff the couscous with a fork, taste for [wprm-ingredient text="1/4 tsp pepper or to taste" uid="7"]and transfer the couscous to a serving plate, add the cherry tomatoes, parsley, an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, black pepper and freshly squeezed [wprm-ingredient text="1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice" uid="8"], enjoy!
Notes
Toasting couscous: Toast pearl couscous before cooking for that extra nutty flavor!
Extra virgin olive oil: You may need 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil depending on the width of your saucepan.
Cover: Use a saucepan with a lid since the couscous will need to be covered while cooking.
Salt: If you use stock instead of water, be mindful of the sodium content when adding salt.
Cooking the couscous: Because all our stoves are different, my stove works on the exact 15 minute time frame on medium heat. If you are not sure, check to see how much water is still in the pot by opening and closing quickly (it you do this quickly, the heat level won't drop much). If you're still not sure, use a wooden spoon to quickly slide the couscous to one side. You will be able to judge the water level if any. Couscous cooks just like pasta, until al dente minus the water.
Pine nuts: I use just under 1/4 cup of pine nuts which is around 2-3 tablespoons or so. These are optional but this recipe has very few ingredients so perhaps substitute the nuts with a different kind like walnuts, cashews, pistachio or pecans. You can also omit the nuts entirely.
Ingredient Variations: Red onion, shallots, bell peppers, Mediterranean cucumbers (or de-seed to avoid sogginess), roasted cherry tomatoes, feta chees, shelled green beans, chickpeas, fresh mint, tarragon, basil leaves, rocket and more.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern, North African
Nutrition
- Calories: 288
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 309
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 7