Chickpea and Grilled Vegetable Couscous Salad with Tahini Dressing

Serves 2 A Middle Eastern-inspired salad made with Israeli couscous, grilled vegetables,

chickpeas and a tahini dressing

Prep Time 10min · Cook Time 5min · Total Time 15 min

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Israeli couscous

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into planks

• 1 medium Chinese eggplant (or other small eggplant), sliced into planks

• 1/2 red onion, sliced into rings

• 1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Add the couscous to a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain excess liquid, transfer couscous to a large serving bowl and set aside.

2. Pre-heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the zucchini, eggplant, pepper and onion with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables until char marks form and the vegetables are slightly tender, 2-5 minutes per side; chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice and garlic. To thin out the consistency, add a little water, one or two tablespoons at a time, while whisking until the tahini sauce has the consistency of a dressing.

4. Add the grilled vegetables and chickpeas to the bowl with the couscous and season with salt and pepper. Top with the tahini dressing and serve immediately.

Notes

1. Don’t overcook the couscous – it should be cooked through but still have bite to it (i.e., not mushy!).

2. The salad can be made ahead and refrigerated. Add tahini dressing just before serving.

Credit We thank Jennifer of Ricotta and Radishes for this great recipe. You can find more of her delicious recipes here.