Charred Corn Couscous Salad with Lime Basil Dressing
A charred corn couscous salad dressed in a lime basil dressing. Prefect to make for any upcoming summer gatherings or to prep for the week ahead.
Why You’ll Love Charred Corn Couscous Salad
- A delicious nutrient packed salad. Packed with delicious summer produce and beans which makes this packed with fiber and antioxidants.
- A great dish to bring to any summer gathering. This flavor packed bowl is perfect to bring to a large gathering to share with some of your other favorite BBQ dishes.
- Easy to customize. Any good salad should have a few customizable elements to really make it your own. Find some suggestions for easy swaps that work just as great in this dish.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Couscous: Feel free to also use short/small pasta shapes as an alternative. You can also swap for a gluten-free option like quinoa or a gluten-free pasta option.
- Black beans: I really love the combo of basil and black beans. You can swap for any bean you love really, so change it up to something you love.
- Basil: I used fresh basil. Alternatively, try this with a different herb that you love. You can do chives, dill, parsley or even cilantro. Go wild!
- Seasonings: I used cumin seeds for the base flavor of the corn. If not a fan of cumin seeds just leave them out and start the recipe by sauteing the corn.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best for the flavor. However, if you don’t like chopping garlic, just use some jarred minced garlic or garlic powder to taste as a quick alternative.
- Corn: I used yellow corn. Feel free to also use frozen corn if you don’t feel like shucking your corn from the cob. You can also swap for a different veggie if desired. Sautéed cabbage could work really well in this salad as well as some sautéed broccoli.
- Cherry Tomatoes: For the best flavor, shop for them when they are in season!
- Shallot: You can also use some diced red onion as an alternative!
- Pepitas: I really love adding a crunch element, so I went with pepitas to keep this nut-free. Feel free to swap with a different nut or seed of your choice. Hemp hearts are a great alternative for extra protein and omega-3s!
How to Make This Charred Corn Couscous Salad with Lime Basil Dressing
Bring a large sauce pan filled with water to a boil and salt the water generously. Cook the couscous according to package instructions then drain and set aside.
To a large skillet over medium low heat add the oil. When hot, add the cumin seeds and stir in the oil for about 1 minute to become fragrant. Add the kernels from 1 ear of corn to the pan and stir into the cumin. Spread the corn out in the pan and allow to cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Give the corn a toss then spread out again and cook for another 2-3 minutes undisturbed.
Add the shallots along with a pinch of salt and sauté for about 2 minutes or until the shallots have softened. Stir in the garlic and continue to sauté for 1 minute until fragrant then remove from heat.
To a large mixing bowl add the couscous, corn mixture, the remaining raw corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, pepitas, parsley and a pinch of salt.
In a blender cup or mini food processor add the basil, garlic, jalapeno, oil, lime, vinegar, maple syrup and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Blend (or use an immersion blender to blend) until the ingredients are mostly smooth.
Pour the dressing overtop the bowl of couscous then toss together to evenly mix. Use as a side, main meal or serve with extra protein based on your preference.
Expert Tips
- Salt your water! When cooking couscous, I highly recommend salting your cooking water. Couscous is very similar to pasta, and cooking it in salted water will help provide more overall flavor to your salad.
- Let things cooked undisturbed. For a nice char on your corn, just let it sit for a few moments undisturbed. As soon as you see some of that beautiful browning, give it a toss. In this instance, patience is a virtue!
- Add or swap out what you like. This is just a base recipe, feel free to change up any ingredients to match your specific preference. For more ideas, consider some of the additions mentioned below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once dressed, this salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes! You can either swap the couscous for a gluten-free pasta you love or use quinoa as an alternative!
Feel free to swap with a different herb. You can make this with cilantro, dill, or even a mix of parsley and chives. Do what feels right to you and your taste buds.
How to Serve
This can be served as is or feel free to enjoy this with some extras to give this salad a boost in extra nutrients:
- More Protein: Try this with some baked tofu pieces, add a crispy tofu cutlet on top, enjoy with some seitan or some extra hemp hearts on top. You can also swap the couscous for a high protein legume based pasta.
- More Veggies: Toss the salad with some arugula for an extra bit of veggies in each bite. Some roasted broccoli can also be added as a replacement for corn.
- Swap the Seeds: Want a bit of omega-3s? Swap the pepitas for some hemp hearts.
More Summer Salad Recipes to Try
- Crispy Lentil Salad with Cilantro Chive Dressing
- Grilled Veggie Bean Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing
- Charred Corn and Peach Salsa Bowls
- Green Goddess Smashed Potato Salad
- Lime Crunch Noodle Salad
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.
Print
Charred Corn Couscous Salad with Lime Basil Dressing
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A charred corn couscous salad dressed in a lime basil dressing. Prefect to make for any upcoming summer gatherings or to prep for the week ahead.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry pearled couscous
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 large ears of corn, removed from cob
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 1, 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Lime Basil Dressing
- 1/2 cup basil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 jalapeno, roughly chopped (remove seeds for less spicy)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 large lime
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1–2 tsp maple syrup (adjust to preference)
Instructions
- Bring a large sauce pan filled with water to a boil and salt the water generously. Cook the couscous according to package instructions then drain and set aside.
- To a large skillet over medium low heat add the oil. When hot, add the cumin seeds and stir in the oil for about 1 minute to become fragrant. Add the kernels from 1 ear of corn to the pan and stir into the cumin. Spread the corn out in the pan and allow to cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Give the corn a toss then spread out again and cook for another 2-3 minutes undisturbed.
- Add the shallots along with a pinch of salt and sauté for about 2 minutes or until the shallots have softened. Stir in the garlic and continue to sauté for 1 minute until fragrant then remove from heat.
- To a large mixing bowl add the couscous, corn mixture, the remaining raw corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, pepitas, parsley and a pinch of salt.
- In a blender cup or mini food processor add the basil, garlic, jalapeno, oil, lime, vinegar, maple syrup and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Blend (or use an immersion blender to blend) until the ingredients are mostly smooth.
- Pour the dressing overtop the bowl of couscous then toss together to evenly mix. Use as a side, main meal or serve with extra protein based on your preference.
Notes
Salt your water! When cooking couscous, I highly recommend salting your cooking water. Couscous is very similar to pasta, and cooking it in salted water will help provide more overall flavor to your salad.
Let things cooked undisturbed. For a nice char on your corn, just let it sit for a few moments undisturbed. As soon as you see some of that beautiful browning, give it a toss. In this instance, patience is a virtue!
Add or swap out what you like. This is just a base recipe, feel free to change up any ingredients to match your specific preference. For more ideas, consider some of the additions mentioned below.
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