I’m quite excited to be sharing this recipe with you because this is one of my favourite dishes to cook! It’s one of those dinners that I whip up in just a few minutes, when I’d rather be enjoying a glass of wine on the couch than spending the evening in the kitchen. You working gals know what I’m talking about.
Not only is this roast veg Mediterranean couscous quick and easy to make, but the ingredients are so flexible and the recipe welcomes almost any substitutions. Don’t have pumpkin seeds? Throw in some toasted almonds for a yummy crunch. No feta cheese? Some sharp cheddar or blue cheese wouldn’t go amiss. Don’t have time to roast your butternut and bell pepper? Parboil the butternut for five minutes on the stove and chuck the pepper in raw. And if you’re wanting a more substantial, meaty meal? Simply fry up some sliced chicken breast with salt, pepper and a dash of Worcester sauce, and you’ve got a protein-filled dinner.
Best of all, this dish is the perfect mix of healthy goodness and yummy-in-my-tumminess. Packed with fruit, veg and grain, this Mediterranean couscous is bursting with flavour. Tangy lemon meets nutty butternut, meets sour tomatoes meets bitter coriander. It’s the perfect quick-fix dinner, but also works well as a side dish for fish, chicken or even braai food.
Roast Veg Mediterranean Couscous
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 people
Ingredients
- 1½ cup cubed butternut
- ½ cup sliced green bell pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ¾ cup couscous
- ¾ cup warm vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup chopped coriander
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180° C and spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Add chopped butternut and bell pepper to the dish and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir, then bake in the oven for 15 minutes until soft
In a large bowl, add couscous and warm vegetable stock. Stir with a fork until the liquid has dissolved and the couscous has softened.
Add lemon juice, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and coriander. Stir until just combined, and serve immediately
Recipe Notes
- To keep the couscous from going lumpy, I find it works best to stir with a fork and to use quick but precise movements. It's also best enjoyed immediately, so leave the couscous-making for last.
- To toast the pumpkin seeds, simply place them in a small pan and toast on high heat on the stove-top for five minutes. Make sure to cover the pan with a lid or else the seeds will pop everywhere!
- These measurements are just a guide and do not need to be followed to a tee. As long as you keep the ratio of couscous and stock one-to-one, you can add more or less of the other ingredients as you please.