Cranberry Orange Curried Couscous Salad
This cranberry orange curried couscous salad is a perfect side dish any time of year, but especially during the holidays. Warm spices like cinnamon, curry, and honey are combined with bright citrus notes from the fresh orange zest and juice to make a zesty dressing for the couscous salad.
This Moroccan-inspired couscous salad will be on repeated request throughout the holiday season. Perfect for pot-lucks, the salad holds up very well to the dressing.
Ingredients
Couscous Salad
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ cups couscous
- 1 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1 cup fresh green onions, diced
- 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Dressing
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
- ¼ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
- zest of one orange
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
How to Make a Curried Couscous Salad
This salad is fairly simple to assemble - just a few ingredients make the most flavorful couscous salad you can imagine.
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then add the couscous. Stir, then cover and remove from the heat. Let the couscous stand for about 10 minutes, then fluff the couscous with a fork.
Place the fluffed couscous in a large serving bowl to cool.
Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and toasted.
To the couscous, add the fresh parsley, chopped onions, toasted almonds, dried cranberries and peas. Toss to incorporate.
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a large mason jar or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, orange zest and orange juice, honey, cinnamon, curry powder and salt.
Pour the dressing over the couscous salad and stir well until incorporated. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cranberry Orange Curried Couscous Salad
Ingredients
Couscous Salad
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ cups couscous
- 1 cup fresh parsley minced
- 1 cup fresh green onions diced
- 1 cup sliced almonds toasted
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
Dressing
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
- ¼ cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 cloves
- zest of one orange
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then add the couscous. Stir, then cover and remove from the heat. Let the couscous stand for about 10 minutes, then fluff the couscous with a fork.
- Place the fluffed couscous in a large serving bowl to cool.
- Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and toasted.
- To the couscous, add the fresh parsley, chopped onions, toasted almonds, dried cranberries and peas. Toss to incorporate.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a large mason jar or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, orange zest and orange juice, honey, cinnamon, curry powder and salt.
- Pour the dressing over the couscous salad and stir well until incorporated. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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