Roasted Veggie Couscous Salad (Printable)

Vibrant couscous with roasted zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes tossed in a bright lemon dressing.

# 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

→ Finish

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

# How-To Steps:

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 to 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 olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
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 and toasted nuts just before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes even better at room temperature, so you can make it ahead and actually enjoy your guests instead of hovering over the stove.
  • The roasted vegetables get these gorgeous caramelized edges that make even the pickiest eaters ask for seconds.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are sitting in your crisper drawer and it still turns out beautiful.
  • The lemon dressing is so good you'll want to drizzle it on everything for the rest of the week.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the baking sheet or your vegetables will steam instead of roast, and you'll miss out on all those caramelized edges that make this dish special.
  • Let the couscous sit covered for the full five minutes without peeking—lifting the lid releases the steam and you'll end up with crunchy, undercooked grains.
  • Make the dressing while the vegetables are roasting so everything is ready to toss together while the veggies are still warm and can absorb all that lemony goodness.
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before you juice it—it's so much easier than trying to zest a deflated, juiced lemon half.
  • Taste the dressing before you add it to the salad and adjust the balance of lemon, salt, and sweetness to your liking, because that's where all the magic happens.
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat while the vegetables roast so everything is ready at the same time, and watch them closely because they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
  • If you're making this ahead, hold back half the dressing and add it just before serving so the salad tastes fresh and bright instead of soggy.
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