- Prep-time: / Ready In:
- Makes 6 cups
- Serving size: 1½ cup
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Incredibly easy to cook, Israeli couscous does a great job of absorbing the flavors of the herbs and spices in this vegan salad recipe. Like traditional couscous, Israeli couscous is tiny nuggets of semolina pasta, but the nuggets run a bit larger in the Israeli version. Mixed with fresh kale, colorful veggies, herbs, and spices, it makes a delicious pasta salad that will keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days. Add some cooked chickpeas to make it a heartier meal.
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Ingredients
- ½ bunch kale, thick stems removed, leaves chopped fine (about 2 cups)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1½ limes)
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock or no-oil, low-sodium store-bought vegetable stock
- ½ small onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon sweet or mild paprika
- 1 cup whole wheat Israeli couscous
- ½ medium tomato, cored and cut into ¼-inch pieces (about ½ cup)
- ½ red or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch pieces (about ½ cup)
- ¼ medium cucumber, cut into ¼-inch pieces (about ½ cup)
- 4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons raisins or currants
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, place the kale and lime juice. Mix well so the leaves are well coated. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, place the Vegetable Stock, onion, garlic, curry powder, cumin, and paprika. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and add the couscous. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is al dente, adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, if couscous starts to stick to the pan. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
- Add the reserved kale to the bowl with the couscous along with the tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, scallions, parsley, basil, raisins, pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and adjust the seasoning. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving (1½ cup): 249 calories, 48 g carbohydrates, 8.6 g protein, 3.8 g total fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 59 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 5.6 g sugar
Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.
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Comments (23)
(5 from 12 votes)Yum! I made a few substitutions based on what veggies I had and what needed to get used up, and I was too impatient to chill it. It was so fresh tasting! Delicious.
I like this recipe but 1 c broth doesn’t seem enough for 1 c of the Israeli couscous. The liquid gets absorbed quicker than the couscous cooks. 1/2 c of the couscous worked with that amount of broth. Has anyone else experienced this?
Hi Marie. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Feel free to keep adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to stop it from sticking. We have modified the instructions.
Divine. So many fresh flavors and cool crunch. Great summer dinner! Very filling. The lime juice really softens up the kale and makes it extra delicious.
What can I replace couscous with to make it gluten free ??
Hi Karyn, You could replace the couscous with a gluten-free grain such as quinoa, brown rice, or millet. You could also try gluten-free pasta, pick one that is small in size. Another option is cauliflower rice. Be sure to adjust the cooking time in step 2. Hope that helps. If you decide to try it, let us know how it goes! Happy experimenting:)
Looks good! But can you substitute quinoa for the couscous? For gluten-sensitive folks like me. :-)
Can you substitute quinoa for the couscous?
Hi Judy, Yes you can! It may not have the same dense, chewy texture as the Israeli couscous, but it will definitely be a tasty substitute! You could also use brown rice if you want thicker grains. Let us know how it turns out.
I love this! Easy and quick to make. I cook the raisins with the couscous because I really love cooked raisins in rice dishes, and this was similar. I could also see cooking some shredded carrots in this as well. Similar to an Afghan dish that I enjoy (Kabuli pulao) but vegan! This will be on heavy rotation in my lunches.
I was unsure about this salad to begin with, but after it sat in the fridge over night, it tasted amazing. I will be making this often. The couscous alone would make an amazing side dish.
Fantastic!! Love taking this for my lunch. I’ve made it twice! Fresh and fulfilling!
Yum! Easy, healthy and delicious!
Sounds delicious! How long will it last refrigerated? I'd love to take for my lunch after serving for dinner.
Fantastic salad! Perfect for a summer picnic with hummus and pita :)
Couscous is not Israeli !
You may not know that "Israeli couscous" is the name of a type of couscous-larger, usually white rounds about the size of a petite pea.
Because the name in Hebrew is P'titim. But they had to call it something when chefs, outside of Israel, started cooking with it in the late 20th century. Israeli cous cous was the name that fit. Now take a chill pill Henry. It's only food.
Lovely looking dish and yes we call it Giant Couscous where i come from.
You are right Henry, this is a Palestinian dish, Israel is only 80 years old but they stole the food credit along with the land, we call it Maftool
To all who claim couscous is not Israeli please take a chill pill! It’s not real couscous (the name is misleading) it is called p’titim in Hebrew. And no it’s not Palestinian and no one stole the dish. P’titim is an Israeli invention. Take a step back, no one stole p’titim from anyone. It’s just food.
Love this salad! I make it many, many times over the summer always to rave reviews!
Delicious! Perfect combination of ingredients. We really enjoyed this one.