The legume couscous salad is a fresh-tasting main course.
Vegetarian and light, it is a valid alternative to the more traditional rice salad. It is a perfect dish to prepare in advance and take with you to the beach or a picnic in the mountains.
Couscous is a typical food of Sicily and Sardinia. It consists of steamed wheat semolina granules and can be cooked in both cold and hot dishes. Usually, the precooked version is available in stores, requiring only rehydration for 5 minutes in hot water to be ready.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: International
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 401.16 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 62.66 (g) of which sugars 6.66 (g)
- Proteins 17.35 (g)
- Fat 9.92 (g) of which saturated 1.11 (g)of which unsaturated 0.33 (g)
- Fibers 11.38 (g)
- Sodium 1,015.04 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Legume Couscous Salad
- 1 cup raw couscous
- 2 1/2 cups zucchini
- 1 1/2 cups carrots
- 1 1/2 cups bell peppers
- 1 cup cooked red beans
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 oz Grana Padano shavings
- 2 tbsps basil-infused extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 sprig rosemary
- to taste salt
- A few leaves mint
Preparation of the Legume Couscous Salad
To prepare the legume couscous salad, first wash the bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots. In a large skillet, with the non-infused extra virgin olive oil, sauté the zucchini cut into thin slices, the bell peppers into pieces, and the carrots into julienne strips. Salt and season with chopped rosemary, then cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, rehydrate the couscous according to the instructions on the package (usually it’s sufficient to leave it soaking for 5 minutes in an equal amount of salted hot water).
When the vegetables are cooked, turn off the heat and add the precooked legumes to the same skillet (you can use canned legumes or prepare them yourself by cooking them in advance).
Dress the couscous with a mixture of basil oil and balsamic vinegar, then mix well to separate the grains.
Pour the couscous into the skillet with vegetables and legumes, then mix everything together and serve warm or cold, accompanied by Grana shavings and chopped mint leaves.
