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.
