Easy Curried Couscous Salad Recipe

This recipe looks like it has lots of ingredients, but it’s a really easy couscous salad recipe because all you need to do is boil water and mix the ingredients. The salad only takes a few minutes to make and has lots of flavors! It makes a great side dish for chicken. 

The curry powder in the recipe is what gives it lots of flavors, but curry powders can vary greatly depending on who makes it. Therefore, be sure to get a high-quality curry powder that you enjoy for this easy couscous salad recipe. I like to use a “hot” curry powder because we like a little heat in our couscous. 

This recipe can be varied infinitely – you can use leftovers of other vegetables, nuts, and dried fruits to make endless variations. For example, substitute dried cranberries or diced, dried apricots for the currants.  Make it in the original version the first time so you get a good idea of the original recipe and then vary from there. It’s really hard to go wrong with this recipe.

Curried Couscous has become my “go-to” recipe when I’m unsure what to serve as a side dish for chicken. For example, I’m never quite sure what to serve with Asian Ginger Chicken so I typically serve this and everyone loves it. This is a slight variation on the original recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten.

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Easy Curried Couscous Salad Recipe

This is a quick and easy couscous salad recipe that has lots of flavor and makes a great side dish with chicken.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups couscous
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp curry powder
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup grated carrot
• ½ cup minced flat leaf parsley
• ½ cup dried currants
• ¼ cup blanched, sliced almonds
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup red onion, small diced

Instructions

1. Put the couscous in a heat proof bowl that has a tight fitting cover. Boil the water and melt the butter in it. Pour the mixture over the couscous and place the cover on the bowl. Let the couscous soak for five minutes, remove cover and fluff the couscous with a fork.

2. In a separate container, whisk the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper together. Pour over the couscous and mix well with a fork.

3. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions. Mix well and adjust seasonings if necessary.

4. Serve at room temperature.