Given the great heat today, I prepared the couscous with zucchini and shrimps, fresh, quick, a complete and healthy dish.

A dish to be enjoyed cold, perfect to prepare in advance. Also great to serve, in small portions, at a savory buffet or during an appetizer.

Given the great heat, my family asks me for quick, fresh, practical, and light dishes.

An easy recipe with quick preparation for a dish rich in flavor and perfect for lunches and dinners or a lunch break at the office. Also great to take to the beach, it’s perfect to replace cold pasta or rice salad.

It is a complete dish, carbohydrates, vegetables, and the proteins from the shrimps.

For today’s dish, I used whole wheat couscous, but regular works just fine.

I flavored the water with a saffron packet, giving color and a spicy aroma, and I must say it was very appreciated.

For vegetables, I used fresh zucchini and a nice bunch of cherry tomatoes from the farmer’s garden across from me.

A serving of couscous provides the body with about half of the daily selenium requirement, contains 3.6 grams of protein per 100 grams, has a low fat content, and contains no cholesterol.

It is therefore a valid ally in diets where pasta or rice is not consumed and has a great satiety power.

Well, now let’s move on to the recipe and see together how to prepare this delicious couscous salad.

Difficulty: Very Easy
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 30 Minutes
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 4 People
Cooking methods: Stove
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Spring, Summer

227.82 Kcal

calories per serving

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Energy 227.82 (Kcal)
Carbohydrates 24.73 (g) of which sugars 6.78 (g)
Proteins 15.52 (g)
Fat 8.10 (g) of which saturated 1.09 (g)of which unsaturated 0.22 (g)
Fibers 2.35 (g)
Sodium 799.67 (mg)

Indicative values for a portion of 180 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 Couscous with Zucchini and Shrimps

9.88 oz cooked couscous (pre-cooked or whole wheat or regular)
1 1/4 cups water
1 packet saffron
3 zucchini (medium)
7.05 oz cherry tomatoes
14.11 oz shrimps
to taste extra virgin olive oil
leaves mint
to taste salt

Tools

2 Pans
Small Pot
Bowl

Steps for Couscous with Zucchini and Shrimps

Wash and slice the zucchini.
(Not too thick, but not too thin either).
Heat oil, salt, and mint leaves in a non-stick pan and then add the sliced zucchini.
Cook for about ten minutes, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, in a small pot, heat the water with a pinch of salt and a saffron packet.
(If you don’t like saffron, you can skip it).
In a bowl, pour the couscous and boiling water.
Cover with a plate and let it rest for 5/7 minutes.
After the time has passed, with the help of a fork, fluff the couscous well, pour a little oil, mix, and set aside.
In another pan, cook the shrimps for about 5 minutes with oil and salt, stirring often.
Wash and cut the cherry tomatoes.
Pour the couscous into a large bowl along with the zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and shrimps.
Mix to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Let it rest for 30 minutes to allow the ingredients to blend well.
Serve adding some basil leaves on top.
Enjoy your meal.