Last Updated on May 22, 2023
If you ask me why I like this vegan Roasted Pumpkin Salad so much? I would say 1. it’s cheap 2. It’s quick and easy 3. It’s so versatile.
Couscous is a staple food of Moroccan cuisine, it is made by mixing semolina with flour and lightly salted water. Although couscous has a rice-like appearance the tiny granules are actually a type of pasta!
VEGAN Pumpkin Salad
This Roasted Pumpkin Couscous is a quick and easy recipe that you can serve hot as a side or serve as a cold salad! Also suitable for vegan and vegetarian.
The texture of couscous is fluffier than rice, and more delicate than pasta, so it’s totally worth adding this North African specialty to your recipe collection.
What is Couscous
Couscous originated in North Africa around the 13th, which is traditionally made from the hard part of the durum, the part of the grain that resisted the grinding of the millstone.
The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved.
Any pellets that are too small to be finished granules of couscous fall through the sieve and are again rolled and sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This labor-intensive process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny granules of couscous.
In the traditional method of preparing couscous, groups of people come together to make large batches over several days, which are then dried in the sun and used for several months. Handmade couscous may need to be re-hydrated as it is prepared; this is achieved by a process of moistening and steaming over stew until the couscous reaches the desired light and fluffy consistency.
But here, the couscous that is sold in most Western supermarkets has been pre-steamed and dried before packing, it’s often referred to as instant couscous. By doing so, this couscous requires very little time and effort to prepare and can be ready to serve with lightning speed!
How to cook Couscous
There are a few ways to cook couscous such as steaming, microwaving…etc. I’d say the easiest way is the absorption method. ( the ratio of liquid to couscous is 1:1)
- Pour olive oil onto the dried couscous and mix well. (this is to prevent couscous from forming hard and big chunks of lumps)
- Pour 1 part couscous and 1 part boiling hot vegetable stock or water into a bowl. (use too much liquid and your couscous will be a bit on the sticky side. (If you use too little liquid, your couscous will be drier)
- Cover with cling wrap and set aside for 5 minutes
- Remove the cling wrap and use a fork to fluff up the couscous. You can add spices or fresh herbs to infuse more flavor.
Ingredients for Roasted Pumpkin Couscous Salad
- Instant Couscous– the couscous that is sold in most Western supermarkets has been pre-steamed and dried before packing. ( the ratio of liquid to couscous is 1:1)
- Pumpkin– peeled and cut into 1×1 cm cubes
- Vegetable Stock– salt–reduced is preferred, otherwise just skip on salt.
- Lemon Juice– freshly squeezed or bottled both works well.
- Olive Oil– extra-virgin olive oil
- Spices– Cajun spice, dried mixed herbs, and ground black pepper
- Raisin– you can use diced dried apricot, sultana…etc
- Slivered Almonds– it’s optional
- Parsley– or coriander, mint…etc.
- Salt– to taste
How to make
- Replace diced pumpkin into a bowl, coated with olive oil, Cajun spice, and mixed herbs, and transfer them onto a baking tray. Baking in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes until the pumpkin cubes are cooked.
- Heat up vegetable stock in a saucepan and add salt, bring it to a boil
- Pour olive oil onto the dried couscous in a mixing bowl( until they are well-coated)
- Pour hot vegetable stock( the ratio of liquid to couscous is 1:1) into the couscous, cover with cling wrap, and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cling wrap and use a fork to fluff up the couscous. Add roasted pumpkin, chopped parsley, slivered almonds, lemon juice, and ground black pepper to the couscous.’
- Stir and mix well, taste see if more salt is needed then serve!
More Salad Ideas
Roasted Pumpkin Couscos
Ingredients
- 2 Cup Instant Couscous
- 2 Cup Vegetable Stock( salt-reduced)
- 200 g Diced Pumpkin( 1x1cm cubes)
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil (Note1)
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cajun spice
- 1 tsp Dried Mixed Herbs
- 16 g Finely chopped Parsley
- 3 Tbsp slivered almonds
- ⅓ Cup Sultanas
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Replace diced pumpkin into a bowl, coated with olive oil, Cajun spice, mixed herbs, transfer them onto a baking tray. Baking in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes until the pumpkin cubes are cooked.
- Heat up vegetable stock in a saucepan and add salt, bring it to a boil
- Pour olive oil onto the dried couscous in a mixing bowl and mix them well( until couscous are well-coated with olive oil)
- Pour hot vegetable stock( the ratio of liquid to couscous is 1:1) into the couscous, cover with cling wrap, and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cling wrap and use a fork to fluff up the couscous. Add roasted pumpkin, chopped parsley, slivered almonds, lemon juice, and ground black pepper to the couscous.’
- Stir and mix well, taste see if more salt is needed then serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Fur Diary
