Healthy moroccan couscous chickpea salad with spiced orange dressing. It’s packed with texture, flavour and is definitely not a boring salad!
It’s packed with couscous, chickpeas, carrot, cucumber, dried fruit, parsley and toasted almonds. I like to have it with a toasted pitta and a large dollop of hummus!
You may notice I don’t post many salad recipes on the blog because honestly I’m not a huge salad lover. If I do make a salad it has to be packed with flavour and texture, like this moroccan one!
The great thing about couscous is it only takes a few minutes to cook. If you need to make a last minute lunch in the morning, this salad is it!
This salad is great for easy and quick lunches or as a side salad with dinner. You can make a big batch on a Sunday night and have it for the week ahead!
I used to take packed lunches every day for work and this is the kind of thing I’d have. It’s light, fresh, healthy and filling!
I actually miss making fun and exciting packed lunches for work. However I’m lucky that I get to make and enjoy them at home/in the garden now instead! And share them all with you!
There is no cooking in this recipe, apart from toasting the almonds, which is optional and only takes a couple of minutes! And totally worth it.
The spiced orange dressing needs a good whisk in a bowl and you’re ready to go. It is made up of olive oil, orange, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, dijon mustard and salt and pepper.
This moroccan salad is the perfect mix of sweet, savoury, soft and crunchy. From the crunchy toasted almonds, juicy cucumber, sweet cranberry and raisins and savoury couscous. This salad has it all!
Some more vegan salads you might enjoy:
Winter Carrot and Beetroot Salad
Squash, Kale, Butter Bean & Pesto Salad
Tofu Slaw Salad with Garlic Mayo
My favourite way to have this salad is with toasted pitta or a jacket potato with a large helping of hummus! Seriously, I eat that stuff every day and with most meals. Just me?
As always if you make this moroccan chickpea couscous salad be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram – I’d love to see you all there!
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Moroccan Couscous Chickpea Salad
Moroccan couscous chickpea salad with a spiced orange dressing. It's full of flavour, texture and super healthy! Serve with toasted pitta and hummus!
Ingredients
- 150g couscous
- 250ml vegetable stock
- 1 tin (400g) chickpeas, drained
- 1 carrot
- 1 red onion
- 1/2 a cucumber, peeled
- 12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries and raisins
- 1 cup flaked almonds
- Handful fresh parsley
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 orange
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the couscous and hot vegetable stock in a bowl and cover with a plate for 5 minutes.
- In a large salad bowl, place the drained chickpeas, grated carrot, chopped cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumber, finely chopped onion, cranberries and raisins and mix well.
- Once the couscous is fluffy and cooked add to the bowl too (it shouldn't need draining but if it does, get rid of any excess stock).
- Add the chopped parsley and mix again.
- In a small bowl whisk together the juice of the orange with all the other ingredients. Add to the salad and mix well.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Toast the almonds in a dry pan for a few minutes until browned. Sprinkle on top and serve!
- Will keep in the fridge in a air tight container for 4-5 days.
Notes
I used 1 vegetable stock cube to 250ml water.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 320mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 8gSugar: 20gProtein: 9g
Rizza
Thursday 23rd of May 2024
So delicious! My friends loved it! There is no need for a vege broth and plain water to cook couscous will do as well I think!
Rolande
Monday 27th of November 2023
Just a question on the smoked paprika- is the amount 3/4 tsp correct? It’s turned my salad a very reddish color - not at all like your pics- and was so very powering- and I like smoked paprika. The other combinations were great so maybe I’ll try it w/out it next time.
Tamsin
Tuesday 28th of November 2023
Hi Rolande, yes the measurement is correct. I haven't had any other readers have this problem but smoked paprika can vary in strength my brand. I would suggest using 1/4-1/2 tsp next time, hope that helps! Also, using a measuring spoon will ensure it's accurate. Tamsin xo
Hananja
Friday 9th of July 2021
Delicious dressing! Keeps well. Mine was a bit too onion-y even with half the recommended amount. Might try spring onions next time.
Tamsin
Monday 12th of July 2021
Hi Hananja, glad you enjoyed it! Spring onions would be a great sub next time :) Tamsin xo
Wendy
Sunday 11th of October 2020
I made this recipe last evening as part of a ‘ Moroccan themed meal’, it was absolutely delicious! Everyone adored it and wanted recipe! Left overs as a salad lunch today, yummy! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Mary-Jane
Tuesday 21st of July 2020
I made it with a few substitutes (just what I had in the cupboard) Mixed grains and giant couscous, prunes instead of cranberries and raisins, no cucumber (not popular in my household) and added toasted pumpkin seeds (didn't have enough almonds) I fried the onion with some spices and then added the chickpeas (I don't like raw onion) The dressing's delish - It's gone straight to the family favourites list!