Cucumber, Pomegranate & Pistachio Couscous
A light, vibrant, and ready in less than 15 minutes side dish. This healthy vegan couscous is perfect for busy weeknights, summer gatherings, or elegant dinner parties.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole-wheat couscous
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- ¾ cup finely cubed cucumber
- ¾ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup finely cubed yellow onion*
- ½ cup parsley, minced
- ½ cup mint, minced
- 2 – 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ Tbsp orange juice
- ¾ cup roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium heat-proof bowl, pour ¾ cup of boiling water over the couscous. Make sure the couscous is submerged. Cover the bowl with a big plate and let it sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- While the couscous steeps, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Add cooked couscous, chickpeas, cucumber, pomegranate seeds, onion, parsley and mint to a big bowl. Drizzle with olive oil (start with 2 tablespoons), lemon and orange juice and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, see if you’d like to add the third tablespoon of olive oil or a little more lemon juice.
- Serve with the roasted pistachios on top. Enjoy this refreshing salad!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add pistachios just before serving for the best crunch. This meal is perfect for meal prep or packing for lunch. The flavors only get better as it sits!
Video
Notes
* I don’t like the strong taste of raw onions, so I add the chopped onions to a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. After ten minutes, I drain and rinse the onions with cold water. Bye-bye pungent taste, hello delicious mild flavor.