Roasted Veggie Couscous Salad (Printable)

Mediterranean couscous salad featuring roasted vegetables in a zesty lemon dressing. Light, vibrant, and ready in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Couscous

09 - 1 cup couscous
10 - 1 cup vegetable broth
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Dressing

13 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
14 - Juice and zest of 1 lemon
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
17 - 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Finishing

19 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
21 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
22 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss zucchini, bell peppers, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork to separate grains.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, zest, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - In a large bowl, combine couscous, roasted vegetables, parsley, and mint. Pour dressing over and toss to coat evenly.
06 - Top with crumbled feta cheese and toasted nuts just before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything roasts on one sheet, so cleanup is almost as easy as the cooking.
  • The lemon dressing is tangy enough to wake up your taste buds without overpowering the sweetness of the roasted vegetables.
  • It tastes just as good at room temperature, which means you can make it ahead and not worry about reheating.
  • You can swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand and it still turns out vibrant and delicious.
02 -
  • Do not crowd the vegetables on the baking sheet or they will steam instead of roast, and you will miss out on those caramelized edges.
  • Fluff the couscous as soon as it finishes steaming, or it will clump together and lose its light texture.
  • Add the dressing while the couscous and vegetables are still warm so the flavors meld together instead of sitting on the surface.
03 -
  • Toast the pine nuts or almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant, watching them closely so they do not burn.
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, and use a microplane for the finest, most aromatic zest.
  • If your couscous tastes bland, it probably needed more salt in the cooking liquid, so taste and adjust with a pinch of flaky salt at the end.
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