This pumpkin and couscous salad only takes a handful of ingredients to whip up, and it’s a perfect healthy work lunch meal-prep recipe! The flavours work together so well, it’s so satisfying and will keep you happy and full for hours.
Whether you’re looking for a side dish for your barbecue or a healthy packed-lunch, this pumpkin and couscous salad is the answer. The combination of roasted pumpkin and red onion, feta, crunchy pumpkin seeds, rocket, chickpeas, and couscous creates such a great balance of flavors, textures, and nourishment, and it’s incredibly satiating! I’m confident that you’re going to love it!
Here’s why you’ll love this pesto couscous salad:
- You only need 7 ingredients!
- It’s fresh yet comforting and satisfying.
- It’s a great meal prep lunch.
- It’s easy and healthy!
- It’s vegetarian and easily made vegan.
- Customizable – switch up the veg, protein and grains!
- It’s pretty to look at and fun to make.
- It’s good for your soul and your body.
A healthy meal prep lunch
I especially love this pumpkin and couscous salad because of how great it is to meal prep for the week so that a healthy lunch is already prepared for you! I have a sneaky trick up my sleeve – that I’m going to share with you – so that the salad doesn’t go soggy in the fridge! I thought it was pretty genius (if I do say so myself), and I hope you think so too.
If you’ve ever made couscous before, you know that it’s a magical ingredient because of how easy it is to prepare. If you haven’t made couscous before, let me fill you in: you simply add boiling water to dry couscous, leave it to soak for 5 minutes, and it’s ready! MAGICAL!
So, my secret hack for this salad: layer all the ingredients (with the dry couscous at the bottom), then when you’re ready to serve – just add boiling water to your jars or container, leave for 5 minutes, and you have a fresh, warm salad! This is perfect for those of you wanting to take a healthy lunch to work or school but don’t have a microwave; you can simply add hot water – like a pot noodle – but healthier!
The other method to making this couscous salad with pumpkin is to prepare the couscous as normal, toss your salad ingredients together and pack it into containers like a “normal” human. But it’s just a little bit less fun and impressive…
Ingredients needed
You are only seven simple ingredients away from having a delicious, healthy salad! Let’s talk about them:
Couscous: Fluffy and light, couscous serves as the perfect base for this vibrant salad. With its quick cooking time and ability to absorb flavors, couscous provides a delightful texture to the dish. Its neutral taste allows the other ingredients to shine, creating a harmonious blend of flavors and textures in every bite.
Cooked Chickpeas: Chickpeas contribute substance to the dish, making it not only delicious but also filling and nourishing. They’re a great source of protein and fiber and leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours! I use tinned chickpeas, but you can also cook your own. You need around 240g cooked chickpeas, so if you cook around 120g dry chickpeas, this should be perfect!
Pumpkin: Roasted Pumpkin is such a hearty and delicious addition to a couscous salad – it pairs beautifully with the rest of the ingredients and adds a great amount of volume to this salad. It’s also packed with vitamins and minerals that aid your diet and make you a healthier human!
Red Onion: I don’t care what you say – roasted red onion is one of the best things EVER. Pair it with a couscous and pumpkin salad and it’s a match made in heaven!
Feta: Feta adds extra protein, healthy fats and of course a big fat load of deliciousness.
Pumpkin Seeds: Every salad needs an element of crunch, in this salad, the pumpkin seeds just belong here. Not only do the flavors complement the roasted pumpkin and feta, but they also add some healthy fats and they’re a great antioxidant!
Rocket: The peppery flavor of rocket complements the rest of the ingredients SO well! It’s also packed with minerals and is also fantastic for inflammation.
Equipment needed
All you need is a chopping board, a knife, and some airtight meal-prep containers or meal-prep jars (depending on which method you’re using).
How to make pesto couscous salad:
Method 1: “Just Add Water”
As mentioned above, there are two methods of making this pesto couscous salad. This method is my favorite! I’ve made a video showing you just how fun it is, watch it here.
Start by chopping your pumpkin and red onion into bite-sized pieces. Place it on a baking tray, drizzle with some olive oil and salt and roast for 45 minutes, giving it a toss every 15 minutes to avoid burning.
Next, grab your meal-prep jars and divide the dry couscous into the bottom of each jar. I feel like 50 grams of couscous is a perfect, filling portion, but you can adjust this if you like. You can add some seasonings to the dry couscous like salt, oregano or anything else you like.
Once your couscous is in the jars you can add the rest of the ingredients in too. I like this order: couscous, roasted pumpkin and onion, chickpeas, feta, pumpkin seeds and then rocket.
Close the jars and store in the fridge. Please note that if you take this jar with you to work or school, you will need access to boiling water. If you don’t have boiling water, I suggest using method two, or adding the boiling water before you leave your home.
When you’re ready for your pumpkin and couscous salad: boil the kettle and pour in roughly a third of a cup of boiling water. The water needs to be around one centimeter above the couscous.
Cover and set aside for 5 minutes and then either mix in your jar or tip it into a bowl and enjoy!
Method 2: The “Less Fun” Way
This method may be less fun and impressive, but both taste equally delicious! This method makes more sense if you want an on-the-go lunch, if you don’t have access to boiling water, or if you’re just making this couscous pumpkin feta salad to eat immediately.
Start by chopping your pumpkin and red onion into bite-sized pieces. Place it on a baking tray, drizzle with some olive oil and salt and roast for 45 minutes, giving it a toss every 15 minutes to avoid burning.
Add the couscous to a bowl and add boiling water. You will need 90ml (roughly a third of a cup) per 50 grams of couscous. Leave to soak for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.
Add in the rest of the salad ingredients and mix to combine. Serve immediately or divide between meal-prep containers.
Take it up a notch
While this couscous and pumpkin salad is delicious as is, there are some ways to “take it up a notch,” add some extra flavors and texture, and adjust it to suit your cravings.
- Add Seasoning: A bit of salt and pepper will elevate all the flavors beautifully. You can also add a squeeze of lemon for a zesty touch.
- Add Herbs: Whether dried or fresh, herbs are always a great addition to any salad!
- Switch up the Veg: This pumpkin and couscous salad works really well with any roasted vegetable: try butternut, zucchini, mushrooms etc.
- Switch up the Greens: If you’re not a fan of Rocket you can use some baby spinach instead!
- Switch up the Grain: You can use fine Bulgur Wheat (which cooks similarly to couscous) or any other grain – just know that you will have to cook the grain instead of adding it uncooked to a jar.
- Extra Protein: If you’re not vegetarian, you can add some cooked, shredded chicken.
- Mix Up Your Beans: You can experiment with different beans in this salad; butterbeans and cannellini beans work very well!
How to store couscous and pumpkin salad:
For both methods, you need to store this salad in the fridge. If you’re taking it to work; it can stay at room temperature for around four hours. This couscous pumpkin salad will last up to four days in the fridge.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this salad as I find it’s not as enjoyable once defrosted.
FAQ
Can you reheat couscous?
Yes, you can. You can reheat it in the microwave in short bursts or add it to a saucepan on low-medium heat with a splash of water and stir till warmed through.
Can I use a different grain like quinoa instead of couscous?
Yes, you certainly can, but the preparation will look quite different as couscous and fine Bulgur Wheat is the only grain that cooks by just adding boiling water. Cook your chosen grain according to package instructions and then either layer your jars or mix the salad together.
Is this salad suitable for vegans and vegetarians?
You can use vegan feta or omit it completely to make this salad vegan-friendly. The rest of the ingredients are vegan and vegetarian.
Is couscous gluten-free?
No, traditional couscous is made using wheat unlike most other grains. You can, however, use gluten-free couscous.
What are some suggested variations or additions to customize the salad to personal taste?
I’ve added a whole section above giving you some great ways to “take it up a notch” by switching up the veg, grains and protein as well as ways to add extra flavor.
If I’m cooking my own chickpeas, how much dry chickpeas do I need to cook?
You need around 240g cooked chickpeas, so if you cook around 120g dry chickpeas, this should be perfect!
more easy and healthy meal prep recipes
- Chickpea Pesto Couscous Salad
- The BEST Sushi Burritos (perfect for meal-prep)
- Easy and Healthy Bolognese Tacos (perfect for meal prep!)
Hey! If you make this recipe, I would love it if you could leave me some feedback and a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the comment section at the bottom of the page! Also let me know on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and see your photos!
Pumpkin and Couscous Salad
Equipment
- 2 Meal-Prep Jars or containers
Ingredients
- 500 g Chopped Pumpkin
- 1 Red Onion
- 100 g Dry Couscous
- 240 g Cooked Chickpeas* 1 tin, drained and rinsed
- 50 g Feta
- 20 g Pumpkin Seeds
- 40 g Rocket
Instructions
method 1: meal prep jars
- Preheat oven to 190℃ / 375℉ / 170℃ fan.
- Peel and chop your pumpkin and red onion. Spread out in a large baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on some salt. Roast for 45-50 or longer if you want it crispy.
- Divide everything between your jars: start with dry couscous at the bottom, add some salt and seasonings if you like, followed by the roasted vegetables, cooked chickpeas, feta, pumpkin seeds and rocket on top.
- Cover and refrigerate till before serving.
- To serve: add 1/3 cup boiling water into the jar, cover and leave for 5 minutes before mixing it all together.
method 2: mixed salad
- Preheat oven to 190℃ / 375℉ / 170℃ fan.
- Peel and chop your pumpkin and red onion. Spread out in a large baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on some salt. Roast for 45-50 or longer if you want it crispy.
- Add couscous and seasonings to a bowl. Add 180ml boiling water and leave for 5-10 minutes until all the water has been soaked up.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the couscous and mix it all up.
- Serve right away or store in air-tight containers.
Video
Notes
I always recommend using a kitchen weighing scale and using weighted measurements. This will result in a more accurate process and your salad will come out perfectly. TAKE IT UP A NOTCH
-
- Add Seasoning: A bit of salt and pepper will elevate all the flavors beautifully. You can also add a squeeze of lemon for a zesty touch.
-
- Add Herbs: Whether dried or fresh, herbs are always a great addition to any salad!
-
- Switch up the Veg: This pumpkin and couscous salad works really well with any roasted vegetable: try butternut, zucchini, mushrooms etc.
-
- Switch up the Greens: If you’re not a fan of rocket you can use some baby spinach instead!
-
- Switch up the Grain: You can use fine Bulgur Wheat (which cooks similarly to couscous) or any other grain – just know that you will have to cook the grain instead of adding it uncooked to a jar.
-
- Extra Protein: If you’re not vegetarian, you can add some cooked, shredded chicken.
-
- Mix Up Your Beans: You can experiment with different beans in this salad; butterbeans and cannellini beans work very well!
