Vegetarian Roasted Vegetable Couscous Salad

Roasted vegetable couscous, a simple vegetarian dish of loads of veg baked with ras el hanout & before being tossed through buttered couscous.

This recipe is wonderfully flexible, and you can substitute vegetables in and out depending on the season and what you have in the fridge.

Roasted Veg Salad

I'm rather fond of couscous; it appears on our menu at least once a week. Usually, I make my simple buttered couscous recipe and throw a load of fresh raw vegetables through it and eat it for lunch.

However, this roasted vegetable couscous recipe is usually made to be a veg-heavy side dish.

It features simple, soft veggies that are available all year round. Peppers, red onions and courgette or zucchini for my US-based readers, along with garlic and lemon.

They get coated in brown sugar and ras el hanout before being roasted with lemon and garlic.

Finally, they are given a load of freshness thanks to tonnes of fresh coriander and parsley and the magic of pomegranate seeds.

It is super simple to make and tastes fantastic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this be made in advance?

Yes, I'm fond of making a large batch of this and refrigerating it and having a bowl for lunch. It will last in the fridge for 4-5 days.

I would allow it to warm up to close to room temperature before serving personally.

Can I use different vegetables?

Absolutely, yes! You can use this idea to use up any vegetables you have in the fridge/pantry. Butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, cauliflower and broccoli all work really well.

However, you will need to adjust your cooking times to reflect the vegetables. Cauliflower and broccoli will only take around 20-25 minutes. Sweet potatoes, parsnips and squash will be much closer to an hour.

What is Ras el Hanout?

Ras el Hanout is a spice mix that is commonly used across North Africa and the Middle East.

All brands vary, as with most spice mixes, but it commonly contains cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon and paprika, to name a few.

Serving Suggestions

I have mentioned that I like to serve this veggie couscous recipe as a lunch dish on occasion.

But I absolutely love it as a side dish for meat or fish!

It is particularly good with chicken; it is superb with everything from Fesenjan or chermoula chicken to my harissa chicken thighs and zaatar chicken legs.

You could even serve it with my Moroccan-influenced lamb tagine, Cypriot afelia or lamb arayes recipes.

It is superb with some pan-fried salmon, but it is spectacularly good with my harissa salmon recipe!

If you wanted to stick with the vegetarian vibe, then serve this roasted vegetable couscous with crispy fried halloumi cheese or zaatar and pomegranate halloumi cheese.

Equipment Used

I only name-check specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Oven.
• Kettle or pot and stovetop for boiling water.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
• Mixing bowl.
• Cling film.
• Stirring spoons.