Description
A flavorful and nutritious roasted pumpkin couscous salad featuring a blend of spiced roasted vegetables, chickpeas, and pearl couscous, served hot or cold with optional pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
Spice Mix and Oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin spice, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas
- 4 cups pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
- 1 red or green bell pepper, cut into wedges
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Couscous
- 2 cups uncooked pearl/Israeli couscous
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Finishing Ingredients
- ¼ cup plant-based milk
- ¼ cup toasted or raw pumpkin seeds (optional)
- ¼ cup dry cranberries (optional)
- ¼ cup roughly chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a large baking tray lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Prepare Vegetables: In a large bowl, mix Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add pumpkin, onion, bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, and chickpeas; toss to coat evenly with the spice oil mixture.
- Roast Vegetables: Spread the coated veggies and chickpeas on the prepared baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, checking at the 20-minute mark and continuing if needed until tender and slightly caramelized.
- Cook Couscous: While veggies roast, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to toast it lightly. Add vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, salt, and pepper, bring to a boil, then cover, turn off the heat, and let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes to absorb the broth.
- Combine Salad: Once vegetables are roasted and tender, transfer them to a large salad bowl. Add the cooked couscous and plant-based milk, mixing well to combine flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Top the salad with toasted or raw pumpkin seeds, dry cranberries, and chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot or cold.
Notes
- Don’t skip toasting the couscous; it enhances the nutty flavor and texture.
- For time efficiency, use pre-chopped vegetables or a mandoline slicer to speed up preparation.
- Slice vegetables evenly to ensure they roast uniformly and finish cooking at the same time.
- Plant-based milk adds creaminess but can be omitted or substituted with water for a lighter version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
