I cut a butternut in half and roasted the first half for pasta. The second half was still on the board, and I did not want another creamy sauce. I toasted pearl couscous, massaged a bunch of lacinato kale, and tossed it with cranberries, red onion, and pecans.
That bowl is this fall pearl couscous salad. The dressing is maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and orange juice, with enough Dijon to keep the maple from tasting like dessert. Feta is optional. Crispy chickpeas or tofu are there when you want the lunch to last past 3 p.m.
Come make it with me. One sheet pan, one pot, about 45 minutes. The squash does most of the waiting.
What is pearl couscous?
Pearl couscous (Israeli couscous, or ptitim) is toasted wheat pasta rolled into tiny balls. It cooks like pasta and eats like a grain. The pearls stay chewy, so they hold their shape next to soft roasted squash. Fine couscous clumps and disappears.
A summer pearl couscous salad is usually lemon, cucumber, tomato, and herbs. This one is the cold-weather bowl. Squash for sweetness, kale for bite, cranberries and orange for brightness, pecans for crunch.
If the other half of the squash is already destined for dinner, use it in roasted butternut squash masala pasta. Same tray of cubes, coconut masala instead of a vinaigrette.
How to keep the pearls chewy
Do not rinse pearl couscous. The dry toast is the flavor. Warm 1 teaspoon olive oil, add 1 cup dry pearls, and stir until they smell nutty, about 2 minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, until the water is gone and the center of a pearl still has a little resistance. Spread them on a plate so they stop steaming.
If your box calls for 1 1/2 cups water, start with 1 1/4. Extra water makes a wet salad, and kale cannot fix that.
Test note: At 400F, 3/4-inch squash cubes were still firm at 18 minutes. At 425F for 25 minutes, the edges browned and a cube mashed when I pressed it. Couscous simmered 10 minutes in 1 1/4 cups water, then cooled 10 minutes on a plate. Kale rubbed for 60 seconds with a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of dressing turned dark and silky. The batch I tossed while the couscous was still hot wilted the kale into strings. Dressing with 2 tablespoons vinegar tasted sharp. At 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar plus 1 tablespoon orange juice, it tasted like cider, and the maple stayed quiet. Pecans left on the 425F tray for 6 minutes went bitter. A dry skillet, 3 minutes, stayed sweet.
Why you’ll love this pearl couscous salad
- One pan for the squash, one pot for the couscous
- Chewy pearls, sweet squash, and pecans that stay crisp
- A maple-cider dressing mixed in the same bowl you use for the kale
- Vegetarian as written, vegan if you skip the feta
- Still good for lunch the next day
- Chickpeas or tofu turn the side into a full plate
The pearls bring the chew. Kale and squash bring the fiber. Pecans bring enough fat that a vegetarian bowl actually holds you. I crisp the chickpeas on the rack under the squash when the bowl is dinner. When I want that same protein in another plate, I use these high-protein Indian vegetarian recipes.
Perfect for
- A packed lunch (keep the pecans and feta separate until morning)
- Dinner with tofu, or next to whatever else is coming off the tray
- The second half of a butternut after the masala pasta
- A potluck bowl that can sit out for an hour
When mango is in season and I want chaat masala instead of maple, I make millet salad instead. Same idea: a grain that can sit, a sharp dressing, something crunchy on top.
Fall Pearl Couscous Salad
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Saucepan with a lid
- Large mixing bowl
- Skillet
Ingredients
For the squash
- 3 cups butternut squash cubes about 1/2 medium squash, 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper
For the couscous
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup pearl couscous Israeli couscous
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the maple-cider dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper
For the salad
- 1 bunch lacinato kale stems stripped, leaves sliced, about 5 cups
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
Optional add-ins
- 1/2 cup feta crumbled
- 1 can chickpeas 15 oz, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for the chickpeas
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt for the chickpeas
- 8 oz firm tofu pressed and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for the tofu
Instructions
Roast the squash
- Heat the oven to 425F (220C). Line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Spread in one layer.
- Roast 25 minutes, until the edges are browned and a cube mashes when pressed. Stir once halfway.
Cook the couscous
- While the squash roasts, warm 1 teaspoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium. Add the pearl couscous and stir 2 minutes, until it smells nutty.
- Add 1 1/4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the pearls are tender with a little bite.
- Spread on a plate and cool 10 minutes. Hot couscous wilts the kale.
Dress the kale
- Whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, Dijon, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the kale and a pinch of salt. Rub the leaves with your hands for 1 minute, until they darken and feel silky, not leathery.
- Put the sliced red onion in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes if you want it milder. Drain well.
Toast the pecans
- Warm a dry skillet over medium. Toast the pecans 3 minutes, shaking often, until they smell sweet. Pull them before they darken. They keep cooking in the hot pan, so tip them onto a plate.
Toss
- Add the cooled couscous, roasted squash, cranberries, and drained onion to the kale. Toss with the dressing left in the bowl.
- Taste. Add a pinch of salt if the squash needs it. Scatter the pecans on top.
- Add feta at the table if you want it. It softens if it sits in the dressing.
Optional crispy chickpeas
- Pat the chickpeas very dry. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Roast on a second pan at 425F for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking once, until they are crisp. Add them when you serve so they stay crunchy.
Optional tofu
- Press the tofu, then cube it. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high.
- Cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until the sides are golden. Salt while it cooks. Fold it in at the end.
Notes
FAQs
Q1. Can I make this pearl couscous salad vegan?
Yes. Skip the feta. The maple-cider dressing has no dairy. Add crispy chickpeas or pan-seared tofu if you want more protein.
Q2. Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Roast the squash, cook the couscous, and whisk the dressing up to 2 days ahead. Keep them in separate containers. Massage the kale and toss within a few hours of serving. Add pecans and feta at the end.
Q3. What can I substitute for pearl couscous?
Orzo is the closest swap for size and chew. Quinoa works if you need the salad gluten-free. Fine couscous turns mushy under the squash. Do not rinse pearl couscous. Toast the dry pearls so they smell nutty before you add water.
Q4. What is the best dressing for couscous salad?
A sharp vinaigrette. The pearls are mild and will taste flat in a sweet dressing. This one is olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, and Dijon. Lemon and herbs are the summer version. Maple and cider are the ones that belong with squash and cranberries.
Q5. How do I store leftovers?
Airtight container, refrigerator, up to 3 days. By day 2 the kale is softer and the squash is still sweet. Do not freeze it. The squash weeps and the kale goes dark.
Q6. Why is my kale tough?
Lacinato kale needs a real massage, not a toss. Strip the stems, slice the leaves, then rub with a pinch of salt and a spoon of dressing for a full minute. The leaves should look darker and feel silky. Curly kale needs closer to 2 minutes.
Q7. Is pearl couscous healthier than rice?
Pearl couscous is wheat pasta, not a whole grain, unless the box says whole wheat. It is not gluten-free. I use it because the chew holds a salad, not because it is a lighter swap for rice. For a gluten-free grain, use quinoa, or make the millet salad when you want chaat instead of maple.
Take the second half of the squash
This fall pearl couscous salad is the bowl I make when the squash is already cut and I want lunch, not a project. Roast it until the edges brown. Cool the couscous. Keep the maple quiet under the vinegar.
If you make it, tell me: feta on top, or chickpeas so it stays vegan?
Made this? Share a photo and tag @petitepaprika on Instagram. I love seeing your kitchen creations!
