Citrus Infused Couscous Chickpea Salad
A refreshing Couscous Chickpea Salad made with pepper, cucumber, dates and mandarin oranges tossed in a savory sweet citrus dressing. This easy 15 minute salad can be enjoyed for lunch, as an appetizer or side.
There’s this Disney salad I would crave all the time whenever we would take vacations this time of year together as a family. It was a couscous chickpea salad and was surprisingly vegan as is and was a go to when eating out. Made life so much easier, but also happened to be really tasty too.
The salad contains couscous, chickpeas, dried fruit and a deliciously sweet and tangy dressing. I haven’t been to Disney in a hot minute, and missed this salad enough that I wanted to try making a wholesome version myself. And this one doesn’t disappoint AT ALL. Even my picky husband that isn’t the biggest fan of couscous loved it.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Couscous Salad
- Refreshing, light and no cooking involved!
- An easy salad that takes 15 minutes to make
- A great option to meal prep and enjoy for lunches
- Loaded with nutritious feel-good fruits, veggies and beans
- Great as an appetizer for any summer entertaining
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Couscous: To make this salad fast we are using Moroccan couscous. It is similar to pasta in that it is made with semolina flour, but it is cut very fine to resemble a grain. If you use bigger sized couscous then you will need to prepare it on the stovetop according to the package. Try cooked quinoa for a gluten-free alternative.
- Chickpeas: Our protein of choice. Feel free to double the chickpeas or pair with edamame, tofu or soy curls for even more protein.
- Pepper: I chose red bell pepper, but you can also use roasted bell pepper as well.
- Cucumber: I highly recommend Persian cucumbers as they are smaller and contain less water and will remain crunchier. If using a different cucumber, just remove the seeds to reduce excess water.
- Fresh Herbs: I used a combo of parsley and mint.
- Dried Fruit: I used dates, but you can use raisins, craisins, or diced dried apricots.
- Mandarin Oranges: For the most ease, use canned mandarin oranges in 100% juice. You can also peel and chop up fresh oranges if you prefer.
- Sliced Almonds: You can swap this out for chopped pistachios or make it nut-free with pepitas or sunflower seeds.
- Citrus Dressing: This sweet and savory dressing is made with the juice and zest of a lime, lemon and orange mixed with thinly sliced shallots, crushed garlic, Chinese Five Spice (or 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg), extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar and maple syrup.
How to Make This Couscous Chickpea Salad
Prep your couscous. Place equal amounts of couscous and hot water in a bowl. Give it a mix and then cover and let stand for 10 minutes while you chop the vegetables and herbs and make the dressing.
To make the dressing, whisk together the juice and zest of all the citrus fruit, shallots, garlic, oil, vinegar, maple syrup, a pinch of Chinese Five Spice and salt in a mug or jar and set aside.
When the couscous is ready, remove the lid and fluff the couscous well with a fork. Add in the vegetables, dried fruit, mandarins, chickpeas, herbs and almond slices. Pour the dressing overtop and toss the salad together to coat before serving.
Expert Tips
- Modify the sweetness to your liking. If the salad is already naturally sweet enough without the maple syrup, feel free to omit or add more to your liking.
- To add more plant-protein, try adding on some crispy baked tofu.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork to prevent the couscous from clumping and sticking together before adding the other salad ingredients.
- Add more or less of the ingredients you like. Customize this to your taste. There are no rules, just suggestions showing how much I used of everything.
- If you do not have Chinese Five Spice you can replace it by using 1/4 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Couscous naturally contains wheat and gluten. But you can swap the couscous for some cooked quinoa or millet as an easy alternative to make this recipe gluten-free.
Once mixed and prepped with the dressing, place the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
This salad is meant to be enjoyed room temperature or cold. If you heat it up it may impact the texture of some of the refreshing raw vegetables.
How to Serve
You can serve this salad as is and it will provide a great deal of nutrition and energy to fuel your afternoon. Add some more greens like romaine, arugula or spinach to add more fiber and antioxidants. For more protein you can try including this with some baked crispy tofu, pan-fried soy curls or seitan, or your favorite vegan chicken alternative.
More Refreshing and Satisfying Salads to Try
- Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus
- Spicy Edamame Salad with Smashed Cucumber
- Tahini Ranch Pasta Salad with Smoky Tempeh
- Kale Crunch Salad
- Garlic Sesame Noodles
Citrus Infused Couscous Chickpea Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A refreshing Couscous Chickpea Salad made with pepper, cucumber, dates and mandarin oranges tossed in a savory sweet citrus dressing. This easy 15 minute salad can be enjoyed for lunch, as an appetizer or side.
Ingredients
Citrus Infused Couscous Chickpea Salad
- 1 cup dry couscous
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced or diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, minced
- 1/4 cup canned mandarin oranges, packed in juice
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup chopped dates, raisins, or craisins
- 1, 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Dressing
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 small orange
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup, optional
- 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice*
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the couscous and hot water to a bowl. Mix and then cover with a lid and let stand for10 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a large mug or jar and give it a good mix to combine.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork then top with the chopped vegetables, canned and dried fruit, chickpeas, herbs, almonds and a generous pinch of salt.
- Pour over the dressing. Mix everything together and add more salt and pepper if needed then serve.
Notes
Modify the sweetness to your liking. If the salad is already naturally sweet enough without the maple syrup, feel free to omit or add more to your liking.
To add more plant-protein, try adding on some crispy baked tofu.
Fluff the couscous with a fork to prevent the couscous from clumping and sticking together before adding the other salad ingredients.
Add more or less of the ingredients you like. Customize this to your taste. There are no rules, just suggestions showing how much I used of everything.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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