Moroccan Couscous Salad with Herbs and Almonds

About This Recipe

This couscous salad draws on the classic Moroccan pantry — dried fruit, toasted nuts, and warm ground spices — turning plain steamed couscous into a substantial, flavorful side dish or light lunch. The couscous is steamed until light and fluffy rather than gummy, a texture achieved by fluffing it with a fork and a touch of oil rather than simply pouring boiling water over it and letting it sit. Tossed with fresh parsley, mint, diced dried apricots and toasted almonds, then dressed in a lemony cumin vinaigrette, the salad works equally well warm alongside a tagine or chilled the next day for lunch.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupscouscous
• 1.5 cupsboiling water or stock
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1/2 tspground cumin
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 1/3 cupdried apricots(diced)
• 1/3 cuptoasted almonds(chopped)
• 1/2 cupchopped parsley
• 1/4 cupchopped mint
• 3scallions(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Steam the couscous

   Place couscous in a bowl, pour boiling water or stock over it, cover, and let sit 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Fluff

   Fluff the couscous thoroughly with a fork, working in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to separate the grains.

3. 3

   Make the dressing

   Whisk remaining olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and salt.

4. 4

   Combine

   Toss the fluffed couscous with the dressing, dried apricots, almonds, parsley, mint and scallions.

5. 5

   Rest and serve

   Let sit 10 minutes for the flavors to meld before serving warm or at room temperature.

   Fluff again with a fork just before serving in case the couscous has clumped while resting.

Variations

• •

  Add crumbled feta or goat cheese for a creamier, tangier version.

• •

  Swap dried apricots for raisins or dates for a different sweetness.

• •

  A version with roasted vegetables like zucchini and carrot turns this into a more substantial main course salad.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; bring to room temperature or gently warm before serving, and fluff again with a fork.

Frequently Asked Questions