Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant combine with couscous, olives, feta, and basil for a zesty and refreshing Mediterranean salad.
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Isn’t this salad bright and beautiful? Cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant combine with couscous, olives, feta, and basil for a zesty and refreshing Mediterranean salad. It’s a great way to get the whole family to eat their veggies – even the eggplant! Not familiar with cooking eggplant? No worries, we’ve got you covered.
Eggplant is an excellent source of fiber and antioxidants, and has been shown to lower cholesterol, plus it tastes delicious, so it’s a great ingredient to use in different dishes. If you have time, the best way to prepare an eggplant is to salt it. Do this simply by cubing the eggplant (leaving the skin on), sprinkling with salt, and leaving it to sit in a colander for 1-2 hours. This process draws out the juices and firms the flesh, so the eggplant will be less likely to soak up all the oil. Remember to rinse off the salt and pat the eggplant dry before cooking! Salting the eggplant isn’t necessary, it’s just how we do it in our house. This salad is filled with feta, tomatoes, and olives, which makes for a wonderfully Mediterranean flavor. Go ahead and give this colorful dish a try!
Mediterranean Couscous Salad With Roasted Eggplant
Yield(s): Serves 4-6
30min
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Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, skin on, cubed
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 box couscous
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3/4 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups feta cheese, cubed
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Optional: Prepare eggplant by salting generously and leaving in a colander for 1-2 hours. Before cooking, rinse the salt off, and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Place eggplant, onions, and whole garlic cloves in a pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in oven and Roast for 15 minutes.
- While the eggplant is roasting, cook couscous according to package directions, then transfer to a large salad bowl.
- Remove baking dish from oven, and transfer garlic cloves to a separate plate. Use 1 or 2 forks to mash garlic cloves into a chunky paste. Coat the eggplant with mashed garlic and set aside to cool.
- Add cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, roasted veggie mix, lemon juice, olives, parsley, and basil to the couscous. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Gently fold in feta and refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 15 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Erren's Kitchen