Dairy Free Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Turmeric Dressing
Bright, golden, and packed with texture, this couscous salad is the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together with minimal fuss. Roasting the zucchini, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes at high heat coaxes out deep, caramelized flavor that makes every forkful feel intentional. The whole wheat couscous soaks up a vibrant turmeric dressing — built from lemon juice, cumin, ginger, and garlic — while it's still warm, so the grains are anything but bland. Fresh parsley and mint keep things lively, and a handful of dry-roasted almonds adds a satisfying crunch that rounds out the whole bowl. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of dairy, so there's no need to swap anything out or second-guess a label. It works beautifully as a hearty lunch, a make-ahead side, or a light dinner that feels a little more special than your average grain salad.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the roasted vegetables
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the couscous
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat couscous
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ¼ tsp salt
For the salad
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup dry-roasted almonds, roughly chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread the zucchini, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, and toss to coat.
- 2
Roast the vegetables for 20–22 minutes, until the zucchini and pepper are tender with lightly charred edges and the tomatoes have collapsed and begun to caramelize. Remove from the oven and set aside.
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