Couscous Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Broccoli

Couscous Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Broccoli
Whenever we need a fast side dish to accompany a weekday meal we make a little couscous. There are very few other sides that are easier to cook than couscous. The small kernels looks like grain, but actually it is related to pasta and we always have in our pantry. We love making a quick Couscous Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Broccoli to go along with seafood or light meats, and it especially makes a perfect side dish for our Lemon Rosemary Chicken Santa Barbara.

Lemons Oil Couscous Ingredients
Couscous Broccoli
Couscous is made of a coarse wheat middlings derived from durum wheat. Traditionally it is from ground millet, yet in the U.S. it is from semolina. This grain (which is more like a pasta) can be traced back to the 13th Century and perhaps further and is Berber from the North African region. The idea that is is a pasta or grain is debatable and even Judit thinks of it as pasta while Corina calls it a grain. The original couscous took a long time to dry and prepare, but today you can get the instant variety in the super market where you just add hot water and it’s done within 5 minutes. 1 cup of couscous has about 36g of carbs, but no sugar and is very low in fat. You can serve it with vegetables and meat or fish. It can also make a quick dessert with a sprinkling of cinnamon, nuts and honey.

Chicken Couscous Food ChestSanta Barbara California Flower
Since we try to eat more nutritiously rich and healthy we use whole wheat couscous and love the nuttier taste, but you can make this Couscous Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Broccoli with the regular variety if that is what you have in you pantry. The whole wheat has more fiber than the regular. When cooking couscous we like to add a little olive oil for “good” fats and creamier texture and add vegetables for freshness. The cherry tomatoes bring a vibrant splash of fresh crunch to the dish. We like to use cherry tomatoes instead of the usual vine ripe tomatoes since they hold their shape better and don’t soak into the couscous as much. For a little dash of healthy green, we added a simple blanched broccoli pieces.

Couscous Cherry Tomato Broccoli Recipe

Couscous Salad Cherry Tomatoes Broccoli

Couscous Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Broccoli

Judit + Corina

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Vegetable Broth - you can use chicken broth or simply water
  • 1 1/2 cup Broccoli Florets
  • 1 1/3 cups Whole Wheat Couscous
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Zest of an Organic Lemon - save for later
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • Sea Salt - we used our Rosemary Lemon Sea Salt
  • 6 oz Sweet Cherry or Grape Tomatoes - halved

Instructions
 

  • In a medium sauce pan bring the broth to boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer to a salad bowl.
  • Remove the pan from heat and with a fork gradually stir in the couscous, and cover. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Gently fluff with a fork.
  • In the meantime the couscous is resting first zest, then juice the lemon. Add olive oil, lemon juice and the sea salt to the broccoli and combine well.
  • Stir in the couscous and the grape tomato halves.
  • Let the flavors mingle for a few minutes before serving.
  • Sprinkle each serving with a little lemon zest.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Couscous Lemon chicken Recipe
We love to serve this light and healthy Couscous Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Broccoli with a deliciously fragrant Lemon Rosemary Chicken Santa Barbara.judit-corina

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  1. says: Adri

    What a glorious site, and what wonderful recipes. This one in particular caught my eye. It iis just the sort of dish I enjoy. I am so glad I popped over. You two have a real treasure trove here, complete with lovely photographic work, and you’ve got a new fan in me. Complimenti!

  2. says: Kari

    I was going to make broccoli soup tonight, but we have some left over couscous and some read-to-eat cherry tomatoes in the backyard, so I think I’m going to try this instead! I love couscous. It is absolutely a staple in our house, and even my dad – who is the pickiest eater you will ever meet and usually sticks to common ingredients, will eat couscous salad.

  3. says: Allison

    What a beautiful blog you have here! I love a grain-based summer salad like this. They’re healthy, satisfying, and simple to throw together. Also, Rosemary Lemon Sea Salt sounds DIVINE!

    1. We are glad you enjoyed our couscous salad recipe and blog Allison! There is lots of fresh rosemary growing outdoors and also lemons so we are lucky to be able to make plenty of Rosemary Lemon Salt!

  4. says: Ilona M.

    What a fresh vegetarian dish with vibrant broccoli and tomatoes. I love how the vegetable colors combined on the backdrop of the couscous in this salad. It is simply a piece of art as well as delicious!

  5. says: Eva Taylor

    Ever since we were in Morocco a few years ago (where we made couscous the old fashioned laborious way), we too keep this versatile staple in our pantry. I love the texture if whole wheat couscous.

    1. How wonderful that you got to experience Morocco and traditional couscous. It must have been such a treat to be able to try all those wonderful flavors of Moroccan cuisine! J+C

  6. says: Flanagan

    I have to try couscous after reading your blog and seeing all these absolutely great photos! The fresh tomatoes and brocoli are just a nice addition to this salad.

    1. We are happy to have inspired you to try this couscous salad! You can use other vegetables if you like and it makes such a quick side dish that we always have a little couscous in the pantry.

  7. says: Edith

    I really like healthy salads and haven’t even thought of adding fresh vegetables to couscous. I usually have cooked vegetables with it. This one is going to be saved on my favorites.

    1. Hi Edith, you can add a variety of fresh and steamed vegetables to the couscous and even use heirloom tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes. We used the cherry tomatoes since they are firmer and wont make the couscous too soggy.

    1. Hi Maureen, we also adore the cherry tomato flavors and the couscous is a good canvas for your imagination so we enjoy trying a variety of vegetables and flavors with it.

  8. says: Amelia

    Hi Judit & Corina, that’s a beautiful salad and the colour is very pretty too. Love your beautiful presentation and photography, very impressive.:))
    Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Have a wonderful week ahead, regards.

    1. Thank you Amelia, we are glad you liked the recipe and photos! The couscous is a delightful light side dish for meats or even as a salad by itself. Hope you are having a lovely summer! J+C

  9. I really love the simplicity of this dish and the lovely contrast between the bright green of the broccoli and bright red of the tomatoes. It really is a perfect summer side dish, isn’t it, and I can imagine how beautifully one of your lovely crisp glasses of white wine would go with it, too. I couldn’t believe how ‘fiddly’ couscous sounded to make in the past. I bet there are still some people in North Africa who make it from scratch in the traditional way, though!

    1. Oh Helen, we can just imagine how long would it take to make it from scratch! We love to buy the organic whole wheat kind from our local grocer. It really became a staple in our kitchen because with little effort we can enjoy this delicious dish.
      Hope you are having a wonderful time in Perth 🙂
      J+C

  10. I’ve never made couscous! But, I’ve seen so many recipes with it, it makes me want to try it! And, I love all your photos – your table settings are always gorgeous! When I’m prepping for the blog – my kitchen never looks like this!

    1. Thank you Kristi! We do love the wholewheat couscous, it has more flavor and it is also better for you. Specially in the summer we like to make it as a side dish because it takes almost no time at all to prepare.
      Hope you will try it soon 🙂
      J+C

  11. You know I never even think of couscous. No reason. I am glad to be reminded I am missing out. I love the color this dish ultimately makes. I am slightly surprised actually. It is a great side dish that is easy to make and with ingredients close at hand.

    1. Hello Carol, hope you are enjoying your summer too! We always liked to use couscous but since we need it to change our way of cooking to more healthy and low carb this whole wheat couscous salad became a favorite in oour family.
      Cheers,
      J+C

  12. says: Christina G

    Couscous is my ultimate go-to side dish and I just love the combination of cherry tomatoes and broccoli for that extra fresh taste.

  13. says: marcie

    I really love couscous, and you’ve freshened it up so nicely with those veggies and lemon! This looks like a wonderful side salad or lunch for a warm summer day! 🙂

    1. Thank you so much for your kind comment, Christin! We are putting couscous on our menu more often too, because it needs hardly any time to prepare. Happy Summer cooking 🙂
      J+C

    1. Hope you are having a fabulous summer too Denise! When the temperatures are rising we all looking for simpler cooking and this chicken dinner is very easy and quick to make.
      J+C

  14. says: Kelly

    Love this variation of couscous with broccoli and haven’t tried the whole wheat kind before. Your recipe sounds terrific!

    1. Glad you like the Couscous Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Broccoli Kelly! the whole wheat gives it a more nutty flavor and has more fiber than the regular variety of couscous.