This Curried couscous salad is packed with flavor and healthy ingredients. It is easy to make, filled with curry spiced couscous, chickpeas, crunchy vegetables and cashews, all tossed in a flavourful, zingy dressing. The perfect healthy side dish, or light and satisfying lunch or dinner. Also great for meal prep for the week.
Curried couscous salad is a delicious side salad and also perfect for potlucks, bbq and picnics and as a packed lunch. Loaded with flavor from the curry and vegetables, just like this Indian chickpea salad.
This couscous salad can be served on its own or why not make it a soup and salad combo with this Spiced carrot and lentil soup and some delicious homemade Naan bread or a slice of this No Knead Whole Wheat Bread.
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Ingredients
To make this easy curried chickpea couscous salad, all that’s needed are just a few simple ingredients. Take a look at the ingredient list below.
For the full recipe with the quantities, see the recipe card below.
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Salad
- Couscous, In this salad regular couscous made from semolina wheat, is used. It is great for salads, cooks quickly and absorbs the curry powder added to the boiling water. The larger pearl couscous can also be used. Follow the package instructions for cooking.
- Chickpeas, this recipe uses canned chickpeas because it’s a real time saver. You can also boil your own, just follow the packet instructions and be careful not to overcook them so they go mushy. Let them cool down to room temperature before adding to this salad.
- Red bell pepper, but any colour of pepper works here, I have make this salad with both green and yellow bell pepper.
- Seedless cucumber, chopped (also know as English or Persian cucumber)
- Tomatoes, chopped
- Red onion, ads a wonderful crunch and bite to this salad. Spring onions or shallots are another great option or this pickled red onions.
- Cilantro or Parsley, fresh herbs ads freshness and lots of flavor.
- Cashew nuts, for some added crunch and protein.
Dressing
- Olive oil, a good quality extra virgin olive oil tastes great in this dressing.
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed always tastes better.
- Garlic, gives this dressing a punch of flavour.
- Maple syrup, to balance out the acid from the lemon juice.
- Spices, sea salt, curry powder, paprika powder, ground black pepper, ground ginger and red chili flakes (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Making this healthy Curry couscous salad is easy. Follow the step by step photos below.
For the full instructions see the recipe card at the bottom.
- Step 1: In a sauce pan, bring the water to a boil with curry powder salt. Add the uncooked couscous, stir well, remove from the heat, cover and let the couscous sit until the water is absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the dressing.
- Step 3: To a salad bowl, add the couscous, chickpeas, chopped vegetables, cilantro, raisins and cashews.
- Step 4: Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Hint: This cold couscous salad tastes amazing served with some homemade Naan Bread or a slice of this No Knead Whole Wheat Bread.
Recipe video
Substitutions and Variations
- Couscous, Instead of regular couscous, the larger pearl couscous can also be used. Follow the package instructions for cooking.
- Spicy – For a salad, add a little red chill flakes or even sliced fresh chili.
- Beans – Instead of chickpeas, canned beans or lentils can also be used, or a mix or beans, chickpeas or lentils.
- Onion – The red onion, ads a nice crunch and bite to this salad. It can also be replaced with copped spring onions or shallots.
- Chickpeas – this recipe uses canned chickpeas but dried chickpeas works too, just takes a little longer to prepare. Soak and boil them following the packet instructions, careful not to overcook them so they go mushy. Let them cool down to room temperature before adding to this curry couscous salad.
- Herbs – This salad has chopped cilantro which ads a lot of flavor and freshness to the dish. Instead of chopped fresh herbs, frozen can also be used. Or use a mix or herbs like parsley or basil, or just one of them if you prefer.
- Veggies – Add more veggies to this chickpea salad, some great options are cooked peas, edamame or shedded carrot.
- Grains – Instead of the couscous, substitute with some cooked rice, quinoa, farro, or barley to this curried salad.
Storage
This couscous salad with raisins can be prepared ahead of time and makes it a great meal prep side dish! Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Keep a big batch in the fridge to ad as a healthy side to any meal.
Salad does not freeze well, so I don’t recommend that.
Top Tip
This curried chickpea couscous salad is lightly spiced with a mild yellow curry spice. If you like it spicier, use a spicier curry blend. Use your favorit curry powder!
If you have leftover salad, serve it wrapped in a homemade Naan Bread with some baby spinach or lettuce leaves.
FAQ
Yes! Instead of the couscous, substitute with some cooked rice, quinoa, farro, or barley in this salad.
More recipes with curry
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This Curried couscous salad is packed flavor and healthy ingredients. It is easy to make filled with curry spiced couscous, chickpeas, crunchy vegetables and cashews, all tossed in a flavourful, zingy dressing. The perfect healthy side dish, or light and satisfying lunch or dinner. Also great for meal prep for the week.
- 1 cup couscous, uncooked
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon curry powder of choice (I used yellow curry powder)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 (14 oz /400g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large tomato, deseeded and chopped
- ½ seedless cucumber, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- ½ cup roasted cashews, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup sunflower oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder of choice (I used yellow curry powder)
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
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In a sauce pan, bring the water to a boil with 1 teaspoon of curry powder and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the uncooked couscous, stir well, remove from the heat, cover and let the couscous sit for about 7-10 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork and set aside to cool to room temperature.
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In a small bowl. Stir together the ingredients for the dressing.
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To a salad bowl, add the couscous, chickpeas, chopped vegetables, cilantro, raisins and cashews. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
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