Fruity Moroccan Couscous Salad

Name: Fruity Moroccan Couscous Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 9 min
Ingredients: 200 ml Boiling water; 100 ml Orange Juice (Smooth); 0.5 tsp Cumin Powder (Fairtrade available); 0.5 tsp Tumeric (Fairtrade available); 0.5 tsp Cinnamon powder (Fairtrade available); 4 tbsp Olive oil (Fairtrade available); 200 g couscous (Fairtrade available); 50 g dried apricots (chopped); 50 g sultanas; 25 g Dried Cranberries (or Craisins); 25 g Pomegranate Seeds (optional); 400 g chickpeas (hydrated, drained and rinsed); 15 g Fresh Mint (chopped)

Fruity Moroccan Couscous Salad is quick and easy to prepare and makes a great light lunch or tasty side. The nutty texture of couscous combines with the sweetness and tanginess of dried fruits, spices, and fresh herbs to give a colorful and tasty salad in less than 15 minutes.

couscous with spices topped with pomegranate seeds.

A couscous salad has enough variety to be served on its own but also works well as an eye-catching and delicious side served with meat, fish, or vegetarian dishes. It's perfect for BBQs, picnics, or to take to a Bring and Share (potluck). Pair it with a simple Homemade Flatbread for a quick lunch or serve as a side to these Kidney Bean Burgers on the BBQ or with Grilled Haddock or Plaice Fillets for a quick dinner. It makes a perfect accompaniment to this quick Chicken Mince Tagine recipe.

You can make this fruity salad ahead of time and store it in the fridge, making it an easy option when you're pushed for time or when entertaining.

Jump to:

Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions and Variations
Types of Couscous
Equipment
Serving Suggestions
Storage
Top tip
Sustainability
FAQ
More Quick Lunch Ideas
Dishes that go well with Couscous Salad
📖 Recipe
Reviews

Ingredients

The beauty of this Moroccan Fruity Couscous recipe is that it's easily adaptable and there are lots of substitutions you can use. The basics are couscous, dried fruits, spices, and fresh herbs.

Couscous - you can use any variety of couscous. I prefer the smaller grains or regular couscous but you could also use other varieties. See Types of Couscous for more information.
Orange juice - use fresh smooth orange juice.
Dried Apricots - common in Moroccan and Middle Eastern cooking.
Dried Cranberries, sometimes called Craisins - dried cranberries bring a slightly tart flavour which helps to balance the sweetness.
Sultanas - use sultanas rather than raisins or currants.
Chickpeas - use chickpeas in water and not brine. Rinse and drain the chickpeas before adding. Dried chickpeas need to be rehydrated overnight before use.
Pomegranate seeds - these are optional but add lovely colour and texture.
Fresh Mint - fresh herbs rather than dried herbs are needed in this recipe.
Cumin powder - a warm spice often used in Middle Eastern cooking.
Tumeric - this will give your fruity couscous salad a lovely golden colour.
Cinnamon - helps to give the couscous a sweet and slightly citrus flavour.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

orange juice, spices and olive oil in a jug.

Mix the orange juice, spices and olive oil into the boiling water.

Add the couscous to a large bowl and add the boiling water. Cover the bowl with a plate and leave to rehydrate for 5 - 10 minutes, depending on the brand.

couscous in a bowl fluffed up with fork.

Fluff up the couscous with a fork

couscous in a bowl with chickpeas dried fruit and fresh mint.

Stir in the dried fruits, drained chickpeas, fresh herbs and serve.

Hint: Remember the hydration time for couscous will vary on the type and brand used.

Substitutions and Variations

One of the great things about this fruity couscous recipe is that it's so adaptable. The following are my recommended substitutions, swaps, and variations.

Pine nuts (toasted)
Pistachios
Cashew nuts (shells removed)
Flaked Almonds
Fresh parsley or corinade (cilantro) instead of fresh mint.
Red Bell Peppers, diced.

Types of Couscous

You can make this Moroccan salad with any variety of couscous. You don't cook couscous, but rehydrate it. The rehydration time will vary depending on the brand and type you use from around 5 - 15 minutes. Couscous is not a grain. It's rolled balls of semolina. However, be aware that the larger varieties of couscous (Pearl, Israeli and Lebanese) are not strictly couscous and will need longer cooking. They will still work in this fruity salad but will take longer to prepare.

Moroccan - this is the smallest and most common couscous grain and it rehydrates quickly.
Golden - these are larger grains with a slightly nutty flavour.
Whole Wheat Couscous - this is made from milled and steamed whole grains rather than semolina and is a good source of fibre and protein.
Pearl or Israeli Couscous - this is actually a type of pasta shaped into tiny balls and not couscous. You can still use it for this salad, however, you should follow the packet instructions for cooking. This type of couscous is usually boiled rather than just rehydrated.
Lebanese - this couscous has larger grains than pearl or Israeli couscous, about the size of a pea. Follow the packet instructions on how to cook Lebanese couscous. It generally needs to be simmered for about 15 minutes rather than just rehydrated.

Equipment

You will need a large bowl and a measuring jug for the liquid. To cook Pearl, Israeli or Lebanese couscous, you will need a pan.

Serving Suggestions

This Fruity couscous salad pairs well with meat, fish, or vegetarian dishes. Try it with a simple grilled fish such as Grilled Haddock or Pan Fried Plaice. It's a great side to have at a BBQ as you can prepare it in advance. My easy Kidney Bean Burgers are a delicious vegetarian BBQ option. For a light lunch, a simple 3 ingredient flatbread is perfect, or serve it with a green salad and some hummus.

Storage

You can store Fruity Couscous in the fridge for 3 days. Store it in a sealed box to prevent the aroma of the spices from tainting the other food. It's great for lunch the next day and sometimes can taste even better once the flavours have had time to infuse.

Couscous doesn't freeze well.

Top tip

Measure out the quantity of couscous and liquid carefully to make sure you don't end up with a soggy mess.

Sustainability

You can buy Fairtrade Couscous as well as Fairtrade spices such as cumin, turmeric and cinnamon used in this recipe. Fairtrade works directly with small-scale farmers and workers to help them improve their living standards, invest in the communities and businesses and protect our environment.

FAQ

Do I need to rinse Couscous before cooking?

No, you don't need to rinse your couscous before rehydrating it.

Why do you add Olive Oil to Couscous?

Adding Olive Oil to couscous help separate the grains and stops them from sticking together.

Can I use dried chickpeas?

Dried chickpeas are very economical and last a long time. However, you do need to soak them in water overnight before adding them to this Fruit Couscous recipe.
I use canned or tinned chickpeas in water that are already hydrated.

More Quick Lunch Ideas

Looking for other quick lunch ideas? Try these:

Dishes that go well with Couscous Salad

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Fruity Couscous:

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