This couscous salad with the Thermomix® is our go-to for barbecue evenings, picnics and lunch breaks. 330 g of couscous, fresh vegetables, feta and a quick dressing. Six portions on the table in 35 minutes.
Supermarket couscous is pre-cooked and only needs to absorb liquid. In the Thermomix® we cook it for 6 minutes at 100°C on speed 1 in vegetable stock, then leave it for 5 minutes on reverse direction. This keeps every grain fluffy and lets it soak up the flavour of the stock.
Colourful Couscous Salad with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 19 ✓
- 500 g vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 330 g couscous
- 120 g carrot
- 2 spring onion
- 100 g cucumber
- 100 g red pepper
- 100 g yellow pepper
- 60 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 6 green olives (pitted) drained
- 10 g ginger
- 25 g white balsamic vinegar
- 25 g olive oil
- 120 g tinned sweetcorn drained
- 6 tsp parsley frozen or fresh, chopped
- 150 g tomatoes
- 150 g feta
- freshly ground pepper
- 2 tsp parsley frozen or fresh, chopped
Instructions 0 / 9
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1
Heat the stock.
Add the vegetable stock and salt to the mixing bowl and heat for 6 min / 100°C / speed 1.
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2
Soak the couscous.
Add the couscous, leave to absorb for 5 min / reverse direction / gentle stir setting, then transfer to a large bowl.
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3
Peel the carrots.
Peel the carrots and place in pieces in the mixing bowl.
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4
Prepare the spring onions.
Wash the spring onions, remove the roots and place in pieces in the mixing bowl.
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5
Peel the cucumber.
Peel the cucumber and place in pieces in the mixing bowl.
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6
Peppers.
Wash and deseed the peppers, cut into pieces and add to the mixing bowl along with the drained sun-dried tomatoes, olives and piece of ginger. Chop for 5 sec / speed 5 and add to the couscous.
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7
Add the dressing.
Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, drained sweetcorn and parsley and mix together.
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8
Cut the tomatoes and cheese.
Cut the tomatoes and feta into 1 cm cubes, add to the salad and fold in gently.
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9
Serve.
Season to taste with salt. Serve the salad sprinkled with pepper and parsley.
Tip: If you want a bit more kick, add a pinch of chilli powder or a dash of chilli sauce.
Video
Nutrition per serving
330 g couscous in vegetable stock: 6 minutes is all it takes
Traditional couscous requires a special pot, a couscoussiere, where the grains are steamed over boiling water. The Thermomix® replaces that entirely: 330 g of couscous goes straight into the hot stock, cooks for 6 minutes at 100°C on speed 1, then swells for 5 minutes with the lid closed on reverse direction. A true all-in-one dish.
Chop the vegetables with the spatula: 4 seconds, speed 5
120 g carrots, 100 g each of red and yellow pepper, 100 g cucumber, 150 g tomatoes, 120 g sweetcorn, 2 spring onions, 6 green olives and 60 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil. We chop the vegetables by hand into small cubes, not in the mixing bowl. Why? Because we want bite, not mush. The mixing bowl chops too evenly. Only the sun-dried tomatoes and olives get 4 seconds on speed 5 with the spatula for a rough chop.
150 g feta: fold in at the very end
We dice the feta into 1 cm pieces and fold it in only once the couscous has cooled to room temperature. Hot couscous makes the cheese melt and go soft. If you prefer a creamier texture, you can crumble the feta briefly in the mixing bowl (3 seconds, speed 4). Sheep’s milk feta has the strongest flavour.
Store the dressing separately: stays fresh for up to 3 days
The couscous salad keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days if we stir in the dressing just before serving. That keeps everything crisp. We often make double the quantity and take portions to work. It tastes just as good slightly warm as it does cold.
Great at a barbecue, as a side dish or with chicken
We serve the couscous salad in a large bowl at barbecues, alongside freshly baked pitta bread. It also works well as a side dish at dinner or as a picnic dish. If you want to add protein, grilled chicken, prawns or chickpeas all go well. Bulgur wheat or rice made in the Thermomix® works in place of couscous too.
More salads with the Thermomix®: this couscous salad goes well with our coriander spread or a homemade pizza dough used as flatbread.
Can I steam the couscous in the Varoma instead?
In principle yes, but it is not worth it for this salad. The couscous absorbs more flavour when it swells directly in the stock than it does when steamed.
Does this work with wholegrain couscous?
Yes. Wholegrain couscous needs about 2 extra minutes of soaking time. The amount of stock stays the same. The flavour becomes nuttier and the colour darker.
Goes well with: Falafel.
