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This vegan cous cous salad is a great addition to your summer picnic or bbq. It’s filled with fresh summer veggies, whole grains and plant protein.

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In the summer months, we eat a lot of grain salads and this vegan couscous salad with chickpeas fits right in.

There are so many possibilities for blending whole grains, fruits and veggies, nuts/seeds and protein options.

So many fun and tasty options, like broccoli orzo salad or mango quinoa salad.

This couscous quinoa salad includes both couscous and quinoa, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, roasted chickpeas and avocado.

It’s the best of the best when you’re looking for a vegan couscous recipe, and you can top it with creamy high protein pesto sauce.

While in the cooler months, I gravitate towards this hearty butternut beetroot salad, in the warm months, this light vegan cous cous salad is it.

A lot of people wonder, is cous cous vegan friendly? Yes, it’s a grain. It’s a great addition to any vegan diet!

I love that it’s paired with quinoa too, which makes it even heartier and improves the texture.

We cook with quinoa often, and it’s very kid-friendly, too!

Check out these fun quinoa pizza bites for a vegetarian dinner recipe, and these quinoa recipes for kids.

Why You’ll Love Vegan Cous Cous Salad

• Easy to modify – This recipe is easy to improvise as you’d like. I love to add a nice feta or goat cheese, or some pulled chicken, if you don’t want to keep it vegan.
• High in filling fiber and plant protein – Thanks to the quinoa, chickpeas and veggies, this vegan cous cous salad recipe is filling, beautiful and so satisfying! My biggest tip about how to feel satisfied after eating includes a friendly mixture of carbohydrates with fiber, protein and produce, like this cous cous salad vegan style.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this vegan couscous recipe. Pair it with this summer strawberry cocktail and you’re set!

• cous cous – Take note that cous cous is not gluten-free! If you need this salad to be gluten-free, you’ll have to omit/substitute the cous cous.
• quinoa – Quinoa is a gluten-free grain that pairs beautifully with cous cous.
• sweetpotatoes – purple sweetpotatoes would give it a beautiful color upgrade!
• cherry tomatoes – Diced tomatoes, or even canned tomatoes, can also be substituted.
• cucumbers – You can peel the skin but I always leave mine on and just rinse well.
• chickpeas (I love mine roasted, like these BBQ Roasted Chickpeas)
• kalamata olives – The olives add some healthy fats and a nice saltiness.
• avocado – Healthy fats for a great mouthfeel.
• pepitas or pistachios – There’s nothing like a little crunch on a salad, plus these are vegan and 100% plant-based protein.
• optional toppings – fruit, herbs, lemon slices, cheese or vegan cheese

These are just the basics for a delicious couscous quinoa recipe, but you can also substitute or add any other veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, proteins, etc!

Other Couscous Salad Ideas

This couscous vegan salad is extremely forgiving, so what you choose to use may vary.

If you’re out of something or want to add something extra, all will still turn out well.

You could also add greens or fresh herbs from your garden if you’d like!

Mint or basil are always sure bets, and you can make your own nut free pesto recipe to enjoy alongside.

How To Make This Vegan Couscous Recipe

This vegan pearl couscous salad does have a few different parts required for prep, which I like to lay out in understanding how to make a good couscous salad.

First, you’ll want to rinse and drain your chickpeas and roast them. You can roast your diced sweet potatoes along with the chickpeas.

While those are roasting, cook both your couscous and quinoa, according to their respective directions.

You’ll also want to cut the vegetables you’re using for the salad, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives and avocado slices.

Once everything is cooked, you will pile it all together in a big bowl.

I prefer to start with the grains, then pile on the sweet potatoes, roasted chickpeas and veggies, adding your choice of dressing last.

I love this colorful vegan couscous salad recipe – it’s so light and airy!

You can enjoy it warmed or cold – it is delicious either way. I prefer fresh, crunchy vegetables and a nice citrus dressing, like lime tahini dressing or honey lime dressing.

• Cantaloupe salad with couscous
• Goat cheese quinoa salad
• Gluten free pasta salad
• Salmon broccoli kale salad
• Tempeh buddha bowl
• Instant Pot Quinoa with vegetables

Continue to Content

Yield: 4

Colorful Vegan Couscous Salad

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This colorful vegan couscous salad is a great addition to your summer picnic or bbq. It's filled with fresh summer veggies, whole grains and plant protein.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced and roasted
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ½ cup cucumber, diced (I used mini persian cucumbers)
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and roasted
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 cup dry couscous
• ¼ cup dry quinoa
• 1 cup spinach or greens
• ½ avocado
• ½ cup pepitas or pistachios

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. While oven is preheating, cut your sweet potato and vegetables. Drain your can of chickpeas and dry chickpeas completely.
3. Spread chickpeas out on baking pan, season with garlic salt, salt and pepper, and roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing and flipping them halfway. Spread sweet potatoes out on another baking pan and add to same oven, seasoning with garlic salt, salt and pepper. The sweet potatoes may need 5-7 minutes longer cooking time than the chickpeas.  
4. While chickpeas and sweet potatoes are roasting, cook dry couscous and quinoa according to directions.
5. In a large bowl, add cooked couscous, quinoa, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and diced vegetables. Top with olives and pumpkin seeds
   
   

Notes

I like to use these seasonings for roasted chickpeas.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Pumpkin Seeds, 2 Lbs - Premium Quality | Fresh | Raw | Unsalted
• 
  Happy Andes Tri-Color Organic Whole Grain Quinoa Non-GMO, Non Gluten, Ready to Cook Food for Oats & Seeds Recipes, Healthy Meal with Vitamins & Protein, Best Value, 3 lb

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 467Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 673mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 14gSugar: 8gProtein: 18g

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