Pumpkin Couscous Salad

bowl of pumpkin cubes, Israeli couscous, pine nuts, feta, and sprinkled parsley over a green napkin.

5 from 1 vote

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This Pumpkin Couscous Salad is a Mediterranean-inspired pasta salad made with Israeli couscous, roasted pumpkin, dried apricot, pine nuts, and feta. It's an easy, colorful, and slightly sweet side dish to bring to a potluck or to accompany your next Mediterranean meal.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Cooling time1

Total Time2

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 390kcal

Author: Joanne Stekler

Ingredients

Roasted pumpkin

1 small sugar pumpkin no more than 3 pounds

Couscous and Vinaigrette

1½ cups Israeli couscous also called pearl couscous
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small garlic clove mashed, grated, or chopped very fine
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 pinch sugar

Pumpkin couscous salad assembly

½ cup dried apricots roughly chopped
½ cup pine nuts or other nuts toasted
½ cup parsley, cilantro, mint, or combination of herbs chopped, plus a little extra for garnish, if desired.
½ cup feta crumbled

Instructions

Roasted pumpkin

Turn on your oven to 375°F.
To roast the sugar pumpkin (see instructions in text for photos), slice off the lid, chop it in half from top to bottom, scoop out the seeds, and place the pumpkin halves cut side down in pan just large enough to fit the pumpkin. Put the pan in the oven, add water to come an inch up the sides, and bake until the pumpkin is soft and the flesh is easily pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.
1 small sugar pumpkin
Let cool, peel, and chop into bite-sized pieces.

Israeli couscous and dressing for couscous salad

While the pumpkin is roasting, heat a large pot with at least 4 cups of water to boiling. Add the couscous and cook, uncovered, until al dente, about 10 to 15 minutes.
1½ cups Israeli couscous
Meanwhile combine all of the ingredients for the dressing (olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic clove, mustard, salt, pepper, and pinch of sugar) in a small bowl or clean jam jar and whisk or shake to emulsify. Taste and add more oil or vinegar per your preference. Add more salt or pepper as needed.
½ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 small garlic clove, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, 1 pinch sugar
When the couscous is cooked, drain any remaining water, return the couscous to the pot, add in the dressing, and stir. Cover the pot and let cool to room temperature.

Pumpkin couscous salad assembly

Once your pumpkin and couscous have cooled, assemble the couscous salad. Combine all of the remaining ingredients (pumpkin, couscous, apricots, pine nuts, herbs, and feta) in a large bowl and stir gently to combine.
½ cup dried apricots, ½ cup pine nuts or other nuts, ½ cup parsley, cilantro, mint, or combination of herbs, ½ cup feta
Serve immediately or hold at room temperature for an hour. If desired, cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

This recipe will make about 8 cups of pumpkin couscous salad, with a serving size of 1 cup.

Just like whenever you make pasta, be sure to add the dressing to the warm pasta as soon as you have drained it so that the couscous absorbs the flavors of the vinaigrette.

To prepare ahead of time, cook the pumpkin and make the couscous and dressing. These can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Nutrition