This roasted pumpkin couscous salad is made with zucchini, pearl couscous, feta cheese and parsley. It’s an easy, healthy and filling vegetarian dish that can be enjoyed warm or cold.
OMG THIS SALAD!! I love a good easy vegetarian dish and this one is a game changer for dinner time.
You basically toss the veggies in seasonings on a sheet pan, boil some couscous while they bake, then mix everything together in a bowl with feta and BOOM.
This pumpkin couscous salad is hearty, requires minimal effort and you have a healthy dinner in no time. The flavours and textures together are on point. You can also add a can of chickpeas or lentils to the salad for an extra boost of protein if you like. Call me crazy – but ya girl LOVES having leftovers cold the next day too (if there are any leftovers that is…)
Hope you guys love this couscous salad as much as we do!!
Ingredients you’ll need:
All you need to make this couscous salad recipe are 10 simple, healthy ingredients:
- Pumpkin: I like using japanese pumpkin best for roasting
- Zucchini
- Red onion
- Pearl couscous (Israeli couscous)
- Feta cheese: goat cheese is my favorite here.
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley: Otherwise use coriander or basil instead.
- Cumin
- Toasted sesame seeds:
- Fresh lemon juice: as our 1 ingredient dressing.
How to make pumpkin couscous salad
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced)/ 400°F and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- Combine pumpkin, zucchini and red onion and drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Season with pepper, salt and a little cumin.
- Roast for 30 – 40 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
- Cook the couscous to a pot with 1 1/12 cups water.
- Remove vegetables from the oven.
- Add the couscous, feta cheese, parsley and lemon juice.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy.
How to cut and peel a pumpkin for roasting?
Prepping the pumpkin is definitely the most labour-intensive part of this recipe. You’re going to want a sharp chef’s knife for this part!
- Start by laying the pumpkin upright on its flat end.
- Take your knife and cut the pumpkin in half down the middle (lengthwise).
- Use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds and fleshy-stringy parts.
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off OR leave it on if you prefer.
- Slice each half into roughly 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick wedges, then cut those wedges into smaller cubes.
FAQS about pumpkin couscous salad
How long will this recipe keep in the fridge?
This salad will keep fresh for about 1-2 days in an airtight container in the fridge, although it is best enjoyed fresh. There’s no need to reheat the vegetables or pearl couscous – simply enjoy it cold!
Can I make this vegan?
Simply swap the feta cheese for dairy free cheese, chickpeas or tofu.
How to make gluten free?
Use quinoa, buckwheat or even gluten-free pasta in place of couscous if needed.
Pumpkin Nutrition Benefits
Pumpkin is an incredible source of vitamin A, with 1 cup of cooked pumpkin providing 245% of your daily needs! With it’s vibrant orange colour, pumpkin is rich in carotenoids (e.g. beta-carotene), which act as antioxidants and help to prevent cellular damage.
Pumpkin is also a good source of other micronutrients, like vitamin C, E, B2 (riboflavin), potassium, copper, manganese, and iron.
In addition to its rich micronutrient content, pumpkin also is a good source of dietary fibre – 1 cup cooked provides 3 grams.
More roasted salad recipes to try:
Roast Apple, Beetroot & Halloumi Salad
Roasted Sweet Potato & Beetroot Salad
Roasted Beetroot & Pumpkin Salad
If you try this pumpkin couscous salad recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Print
Roasted Pumpkin + Zucchini Couscous Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Salad
- Method: Bake + stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Description
This roasted pumpkin couscous salad is made with zucchini, pearl couscous and feta cheese and parsley. It’s an easy, healthy and filling vegetarian dish that can be enjoyed warm or cold.
Ingredients
- 600g (about 1/4) Japanese pumpkin (kabocha squash), cut into cubes
- 2 zucchinis, sliced into rounds
- 1 red onion
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup pearl couscous (Israeli couscous)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- small bunch parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- Juice of 1–2 lemons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced)/ 400°F and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- Combine pumpkin, zucchini and red onion. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and cumin.
- Roast for 30 – 40 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
- Cook couscous according to package directions. You can also use pre-cooked couscous if you have some on hand.
- Remove vegetables from the oven.
- Add cooked couscous to the bowl with all the veggies, chopped parsley, feta and sesame seeds Squeeze lemon juice over top and toss everything together.
- Garnish with extra sesame seeds and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: This salad will keep fresh for about 1-2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. No need to reheat, simply enjoy it cold.
- Gluten-free option: Substitute the couscous for quinoa, brown rice or buckwheat if needed.
Rarely have I seen such a complete presentation of recipes! Excellent in all regards except one: the cup measurement. Would be so helpful to have universal measurements, that is gr/kilo or ml/cl/dl…
I would have to replace couscous with quinoa since I already eat too much grains…
Hi Turid, aw thank you for your lovely comment. Unfortunately the recipe card won’t allow for measurement conversions– will try find a way to fix this though. I usually make this salad with quinoa myself. Just cook 1/2 a cup of quinoa in place of the couscous or use about 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa. I hope you enjoy the recipe xx