Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! This salad holds up incredibly well. The hearty combo of kale, couscous and chickpeas holds up really well and tastes even better the next day. The salad does soak up the dressing, so if you fully dress the salad it will be a bit drier as leftovers. I like to reinvigorate my leftovers with a big squeeze of lemon juice, swish of olive oil and pinch of salt.

What can I use instead of pearl couscous?

The texture will be different, but you can use most grains here. Traditional couscous, quinoa, farro, barley, wild rice or brown rice are great substitutes.

How should I store leftover pearl couscous salad?

Keep the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The chickpeas lose some crunch over time but still taste great.

Is this supposed to be eaten warm? Cold?

You choose! It's delicious as a slightly warm salad, or room temperature. But I ate the leftovers cold! It's good all the ways.

How can I make this vegan?

Replace the honey in the dressing with maple syrup.

Kale and Couscous Salad With Creamy Cashew Dressing

Description

Hearty but light, crunchy and chewy, tangy and sweet, this kale and couscous salad is giving meal prep lunch, easy weeknight dinner or impressive dinner party side dish. She’s a versatile queen, folks.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Kale salad

2 cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon EACH kosher salt and black pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 cup pearl couscous, uncooked
1 bunch Tuscan kale (or curly kale), ribs removed and thinly sliced
1 large English cucumber or 3 Persian cucumbers, diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup roasted pistachios
1/2 cup fresh mint, chiffonade
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chiffonade
1/2 cup green onions, chopped

Lemony cashew dressing

1/4 cup roasted cashews
zest of a whole lemon
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 large clove garlic, minced or grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, if you like a little kick)
1/3- 1/2 cup water

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Instructions

Chickpeas: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Toss chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon each turmeric and smoked paprika. Arrange chickpeas on prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Dressing: Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with hot water, let soak for 10 minutes. Drain the cashews and add them to a small blender or food processor. Add the lemon zest, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and 1/3 cup water. Blend until very smooth and creamy. Adjust the consistency with 1-2 tablespoons additional water, if needed.
Couscous: Prepare pearl couscous according to package instructions. Place cooked couscous in a large bowl and toss immediately with the kale and a few spoonfuls of dressing, letting the heat soften the kale slightly and allowing the couscous to soak up the dressing.
Assembly: To the couscous and kale base, add the crispy chickpeas, cucumber, dried cranberries, pistachios, mint, parsley and green onions. Drizzle with dressing and toss well to combine. Enjoyyyy 😋

Notes

This salad really soaks up the dressing as it sits so it does end up a bit drier as leftovers. (it holds up beautifully as leftovers by the way) I like to add a squeeze of lemon, swish of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper to reinvigorate my salad leftovers.

Refer to the above blog post for step-by-step photos, variation ideas and answers to frequently asked questions.

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Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
Calories: 485
Sugar: 14.9 g
Sodium: 428.6 mg
Fat: 20 g
Carbohydrates: 65.6 g
Fiber: 11.6 g
Protein: 16.2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg