While commonly mistaken for a grain or a seed, couscous is actually a pasta that's made from a combination of semolina (a high-gluten flour) and water. It's then rolled into very small, mostly uniform pieces.

What's the best way to get the seeds out of a pomegranate?

There are a lot of methods out there, but our favorite is as follows: 1. Cut off the top and bottom of the pomegranate. 2. Score the pomegranate along the ridges that the pomegranate naturally has. 3. Over a bowl, pull the pomegranate into a star-like shape. 4. Pull away the pith and use your hands to extract all of the seeds.

Pomegranate Couscous Salad - Crowded Kitchen

Name: Pomegranate Couscous Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked couscous; 2/3 cup pomegranate seeds; 1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1/4 cup well chopped fresh mint leaves; 1/3 cup finely chopped green onion; Salt and pepper to taste if needed; 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 teaspoons maple syrup; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; Pepper to taste

Description

Fluffy couscous, juicy pomegranate seeds, and fresh herbs pair together perfectly to make this fall-inspired Pomegranate Couscous Salad. It's easy to prepare and makes for a filling lunch or dinner side dish.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Salad:

1 cup uncooked couscous
2/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup well chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup finely chopped green onion
Salt and pepper to taste if needed

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pepper to taste

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Instructions

Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.
Cook couscous according to package directions. Add in ¼ teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Once the couscous is done cooking, transfer to a bowl and let cool, stirring a few times.
Once the couscous has cooled, toss it with the dressing until evenly coated. Stir in parsley, mint, green onion and pistachios, then gently stir in pomegranate seeds.

Notes

Cool the couscous: Once the couscous has fully cooked, make sure to let it sit in a separate bowl for 20-25 minutes. Tossing the couscous with a fork a couple of times during this process will help to release some extra heat. We cool the couscous because we don't want its residual heat to warm up the pomegranates or the fresh herbs. This salad definitely tastes best served cool.

Cook the couscous first: Since we need to let the couscous cool, you can cook it first, and then prepare the rest of the recipe as it cools.

Stir in pomegranate LAST: One thing we learned about this salad: stir in the pomegranate seeds at the end. These little seeds have a bright red color that will stain the couscous if stirred in early on.

Storage: Place salad in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Choice of nuts: We used pistachios, but you can sub in your favorite nuts, including walnuts, pecans, cashews, or almonds.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Salads
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: Small bowl
Calories: 451
Sugar: 7.7 g
Sodium: 167.7 mg
Fat: 26.4 g
Carbohydrates: 47.4 g
Fiber: 5.7 g
Protein: 9.6 g