Couscous Sweet Potato Salad

Couscous sweet potato salad. A couscous salad with sweet potato, roasted peppers, feta, avocado and spinach. Served with an addictively good harissa dressing.

This salad is perfect for winter. If you like, you can serve it whilst the sweet potato, couscous and peppers are still warm. I love the way these ingredients come together to create a wholesome and filling salad.

Couscous sweet potato salad: ingredient swaps

I used wholewheat couscous to create my salad. However, this salad would be delicious with many different substitutions. Try it with bulgar wheat, quinoa, rice or even giant couscous.

I’ve also heard there are many delicious vegan feta cheeses out there. Therefore, this salad could also be easily veganised if you wish. If you prefer, replace the feta with goat’s cheese.

A low-cost meal

With the rising cost of gas and electricity prices I tried to make this delicious salad without turning on my oven. I have an air-fryer and found that it was possible to use it to roast a pepper in under 15 minutes!

Also by using a microwave my sweet potato was cooked through in just 5 minutes. If you don’t have these it is also fine to roast both in the oven! I use this Cosori air fryer, it is great, relatively cheap option for your first air fryer.

Couscous sweet potato salad: nutrition

This salad includes a variety of different plant-based foods making it extremely beneficial for your gut health. This is something I have learned from Dr Megan Rossi’s book ‘Eat More, Live Well’.

Avocado harbours many health benefits. They are excellent sources of unsaturated fat, vitamin E and contain more fibre than most fruits. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, magnesium and calcium. Sweet potato is also high in fibre whilst red pepper contains high levels of vitamin A and beta carotene.

I used wholewheat couscous in this recipe to increase the fibre content of the meal. If you want to increase it more quinoa, bulgar wheat and barley are great alternatives. Quinoa is usually around 5-7% fibre and is full of B vitamins, iron and some omega-3 fats. Barley is also high in fibre as well as polyphenols. Bulgar wheat is also fairly high in protein and fibre too.

The dressing for this salad contains olive oil. If you can, I recommend using a high quality extra virgin olive oil. It is best to find a bottle which comes from a singular area or farm. Extra virgin olive oil is a staple part of the Mediterranean diet. It is often thought to be a reason for the longevity of those consuming this diet.

Amongst other things, extra virgin olive oil has been linked to improved heart health and reduced inflammation. This is partly due to the high amount of polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil.

What is harissa?

Harissa is a paste made of chilli, spices and herbs. I used a shop bought harissa paste but you can definitely use your own. This recipe on The Mediterranean Dish is very good. It is popularly used in north Africa and the middle east. The harissa dressing works perfectly with this salad as it complements every ingredient so well.

Couscous sweet potato salad: similar recipes

If you like sweet potato recipes then try my other quick lunch and salad recipes:

• Sweet potato and feta pastries
• Asian noodle salad with tofu and mango
• Crispy tofu rice bowl
• Butternut squash and freekeh salad

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Couscous Sweet Potato Salad with Feta and Harissa Dressing

5 from 1 vote

Couscous salad with roasted pepper, warm sweet potato, cubed feta, avocado, spinach and a harissa dressing.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 631

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 red pepper
• 1 medium-large sweet potato approx. 200g
• 75g/3oz wholewheat couscous
• 1/4 of a vegetable stock cube
• 1 tsp smoked paprika or harissa seasoning
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 avocado
• 80g/3oz feta cheese
• 50g/2oz baby spinach washed and drained

Dressing

• 1 tbsp harissa paste
• 4 tsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

Method

 

1. First, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl, set aside.
2. Place the red pepper in the air-fryer and set to 180C/250F. Fry for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes flip 90 degrees and fry for another 3 minutes. Flip again and fry 3 more minutes. Repeat for a 3rd and final time.
3. Place the red pepper in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid and let steam for 10 minutes.
4. Whilst the pepper is cooking poke several holes in the sweet potato and microwave for 5 minutes. Check after 4 minutes to see if it is soft. Depending on the size of the potato and the power of your microwave it may cook faster. Once soft allow to cool.
5. In a heat-proof bowl crumble your stock cube finely. Add 95ml of boiling water and stir. Add in your couscous, cover and leave for 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork.
6. Once cooled slice your sweet potato into large chunks. In a bowl sprinkle over the paprika or harissa seasoning and olive oil. Stir to combine. Air-fry for 5 minutes.
7. Once your pepper has finished steaming peel off the skin, remove the seeds and stem and cut into 1cm/0.5inch slices.
8. Halve and slice your avocado.
9. Cut your feta into cubes.
10. Divide the potato, peppers, couscous, avocado, feta and spinach amongst two bowls and drizzle over the harissa dressing. Enjoy!