Description
This couscous pour-over salad can be cold-soaked or made with hot water! So flavourful & ready to eat in 5 min with hot water; 30 with cold!
Ingredients
The Dressing:
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 3/4 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3/4 tbsp maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
- 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce (or hot sauce of choice)
- 1 tbsp hot water (to thin)
The Salad:
- 3/4 cup couscous, uncooked (Moroccan style, see notes)*
- 1 cup broccoli florets, raw and sliced thinly*
- 1 medium carrot, raw and sliced thinly* (61 g)
- 1/2 cup edamame, cooked and shelled*
- 3/4 cup filtered water (can use cold or boiling water, see notes)
Optional Toppings:
- Roasted peanuts
- Sprouts
- Avocado
- Dried seaweed
*Ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
To make this a meal prep recipe in a jar:
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to the bottom of the jar. Mix to combine smoothly. (I use a 1 litre wide mouth and heat proof jar. If you have a smaller appetite this amount could make 2 meals for you and you could split this amount between 2 jars if preferred).
- Add uncooked couscous. Then layer the vegetables. Finish with your toppings (or reserve these in a separate container until serving). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When you’re ready to eat, pour either cold or boiling water over the salad and allow the couscous to rehydrate for 30 minutes if cold water is used or 5 minutes if boiling water is used. Stir well to incorporate the peanut dressing through the salad and enjoy!
At home preparation options:
- In a separate bowl combine the uncooked couscous with either cold or boiling water and allow to hydrate for 30 minutes if cold water is used or 5 minutes if hot water is used. Fluff with a fork once the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and mix the dressing ingredients.
- For a cold salad: toss everything together, garnish, and serve.
- For a warm salad: sauté the vegetables in a pan over medium heat until tender. Add the couscous and dressing. Stir 2-3 minutes until combined and warmed through. Garnish and serve.
Notes
Approximate Cost: $2.56 Canadian. The couscous costs me 55 cents and the dressing costs me around 60 cents. The vegetables make up the remaining cost.
Make sure to use a fine or medium Moroccan style couscous for the cold soak option. Israeli or pearled couscous is larger and will take longer to cook. Your package of couscous should say “instant” or “cooks in 5 minutes”.
Feel free to use whichever vegetables you prefer. I have used bell peppers in place of the carrots and bok choy in place of the broccoli.
For a lighter dressing, I have made this pour over with the balsamic dressing from my Pasta Salad In A Jar recipe!
- Category: salad
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: Asian Inspired