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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Appetizers and side dishes

    Curried Couscous Salad with Sheet Pan Vegetables

    Last Modified: Mar 30, 2023 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Print
    serving bowl of curried couscous salad with roasted vegetables
    serving bowl of curried couscous salad with roasted vegetables, text overlay
    image collage showing: sweet potato and cauliflower before and after roasting and adding the roasted vegetables to the curried couscous

    Roasted cauliflower and sweet potato combine with deeply seasoned, curried couscous to create an aromatic salad.

    serving bowl of curried couscous salad with roasted vegetables
    Jump To:
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • How to make curried couscous salad
    • Helpful tips
    • Storage directions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • More hearty vegan salads
    • Curried Couscous Salad

    Curried couscous salad is an easy meal that's simple enough for a weeknight meal but special enough for a dinner party.

    What I love about couscous is how quickly it cooks up! You just add it to boiling water and let it soak in the moisture for five minutes, and it's ready.

    The key to this basil curried couscous is seasoning the liquid that you're cooking the couscous in and seasoning even more after cooking. The result is a dish that's packed with flavor.

    Toss in tender roasted vegetables, and you've got a real showstopper!

    couscous, cashews, and seasonings in bowls on a kitchen countertop

    Ingredients and substitutions

    • cauliflower and sweet potato - Feel free to use your favorite roasted vegetables, if you like! Just make sure you end up with around four cups total. Different vegetables roast for different times, so check in on your veggies often, if you switch things up.
    • olive oil - Oil helps the veggies get browned and crisp on the edges in the oven. You can use spray oil, if you want to. In the couscous, the oil helps it get fluffier and adds moisture. You can use vegan butter or extra broth, if you want.
    • soy sauce - This adds both moisture and salt to bring out the flavor of the veggies.
    • garlic powder and onion powder - Dried spices amp up the flavor of the vegetables even more!
    • vegetable broth - Cooking your couscous in broth instead of water makes it more flavorful.
    • curry powder, garam masala, and ginger - These are your curry spices. I wouldn't omit any of these.
    • dry couscous - You can find this at most grocery stores. Make sure you're getting couscous and not Israeli couscous, because the cooking times on these are very different.
    • basil - Added after cooking, the fresh basil brings so much depth to the flavors in this curried couscous!
    • cashews - These bring protein and crunch. You can use other nuts or seeds, if you prefer, like sliced almonds or pumpkin seeds.
    • fresh garlic - Adding fresh garlic after cooking gives this such a zippy flavor! If you don't like raw garlic, add it in with the broth instead of at the end.
    • lemon juice - Brings in moisture and brightens up the flavors in the curried couscous salad.
    image collage showing: sweet potato and cauliflower before and after roasting and adding the roasted vegetables to the curried couscous

    How to make curried couscous salad

    First, get the vegetables into the oven to roast, then make the couscous while the veggies are cooking.

    Add the sweet potato and cauliflower pieces to a large sheet pan or cookie sheet. Sprinkle on the oil, soy sauce, and spices, then toss gently to coat the veggies.

    Bake for 15-20 minutes at 450° F, stirring once, until the sweet potato is soft and the cauliflower is nice and browned.

    image collage showing: cooked couscous in the pan before and after fluffing with a fork, adding the cashews and seasonings to the couscous, and the curried couscous after stirring everything in

    Meanwhile, bring the broth, olive oil, curry powder, garam masala, and ginger to a boil in a large saucepan on high heat. Turn off the heat, and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot, and let it sit for 5 minutes.

    Just before serving, use a fork to mix in the remaining couscous ingredients, gently breaking up any clumps of couscous.

    Season to taste with more lemon juice, olive oil, and salt Toss with the roasted vegetables, and serve warm or cold.

    Helpful tips

    • When preparing the vegetables to roast, make sure you cut them to the sizes specified in the recipe, so they will cook evenly.
    • Do not boil the couscous! Remove the pan from the heat before adding the couscous to the pan. That will prevent it turning mushy.
    • Couscous tends to stick together when it's cooking, so fluff it well with a fork before tossing it with the vegetables.
    • You can serve this without the extra lemon juice and/or olive oil. It's really up to your personal tastes!

    Storage directions

    Leftover curried couscous salad will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator. Serve leftovers warm or cold.

    Frequently asked questions

    What the heck is couscous?

    A lot of people think that couscous is a whole grain, but it's actually teeny, tiny pasta! It has a pretty neutral flavor and a texture that's a bit finer than quinoa.

    Why is my couscous mushy?

    Like other pastas, couscous gets mushy when overcooked. Because of its small size, you shouldn't boil it at all. Remove the pan from the heat before adding the couscous to the pan.

    Is couscous gluten-free?

    It's not. Couscous is made from wheat. I've never seen gluten-free couscous at stores, but if you find some, you can use that to make this curried couscous salad gluten-free.

    More hearty vegan salads

    • Israeli Couscous Salad Recipe with Creamy Avocado Dressing
    • Butternut squash kale salad
    • Superfood Vegan Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate Seeds
    serving bowl of curried couscous salad with roasted vegetables

    Curried Couscous Salad

    Roasted cauliflower and sweet potato combine with deeply seasoned, curried couscous to create an aromatic salad.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: curried couscous salad
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 376kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    For the Roasted Vegetables

    • 2 cups cubed sweet potato - 1" cubes (see note)
    • 2 cups cauliflower florets - (see note)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder

    For the Curried Couscous

    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon curry powder
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 cup dried couscous

    For the salad

    • ¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves - minced
    • ⅓ cup roasted cashews
    • 2 cloves garlic - minced
    • 1 fresh lemon - juiced
    • extra lemon juice and olive oil - for finishing

    Instructions

    Make the roasted vegetables.

    • Preheat the oven to 450° F.
    • Add the sweet potato and cauliflower pieces to a large sheet pan or cookie sheet. Sprinkle on the remaining ingredients, then toss gently to coat the veggies in the oil, soy sauce, and spices.
    • Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring once, until the sweet potato is soft and the cauliflower is nice and browned.

    Make the curried couscous while the veggies roast.

    • In a large saucepan on high heat, bring the broth, olive oil, curry powder, garam masala, and ginger to a boil.
    • Turn off the heat, and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
    • Just before serving, use a fork to mix in the remaining couscous ingredients, gently breaking up any clumps of couscous. Season to taste with more lemon juice, olive oil, and salt Toss with the roasted vegetables, and serve warm or cold.

    Notes

    This recipe serves 4 as a side dish. It serves 2 as an entree. The nutrition info is for 4 servings.
    About the sweet potato: Cut your sweet potato into 1" cubes, no need to peel -- 1 large sweet potato should do the trick.
    About the cauliflower: Your florets should be about the size of two baby carrots, sitting side-by-side.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Curried Couscous Salad
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    376
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    13
    g
    20
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    10
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    8
    g
    Sodium
     
    203
    mg
    8
    %
    Potassium
     
    555
    mg
    16
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    56
    g
    19
    %
    Fiber
     
    6
    g
    24
    %
    Sugar
     
    5
    g
    6
    %
    Protein
     
    10
    g
    20
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    9519
    IU
    190
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    27
    mg
    33
    %
    Calcium
     
    57
    mg
    6
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    More Vegan appetizers and side dishes

    • Cheesy Vegan Drop Biscuits
    • Vegan Colcannon (stovetop or Instant Pot!)
    • Roasted Potatoes & Broccoli with Tahini-Miso Dressing
    • One-Bowl Cornbread Muffins

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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