This roasted vegetable couscous is packed with the delicious flavours of charred courgette, pepper and red onion.
Couscous is such a great addition to midweek meals. Firstly, it's quick to cook, and very easy. You don't even need an extra pan for it, just a heatproof bowl and a kettle. Secondly, it's healthy. Couscous is a plant-based protein (excellent for vegetarians and vegans), and it contains more vitamins and minerals than other common carbohydrates like white rice. This roasted vegetable couscous makes a delicious meal in itself, but if you want something a little more substantial, serve it as a side dish topped with a piece of grilled salmon or pork escalopes. Alternatively, for vegetarians add some grilled halloumi.
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 2 courgettes, sliced
- 1 large red or regular onion, sliced
- 1tbsp vegetable oil
- 300g couscous
- 450ml reduced salt vegetable stock
- 16 cherry tomatoes
- Ground black pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
- Put the peppers, courgettes and onion into a roasting tin and add the vegetable oil, tossing to coat. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, turning over after 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the couscous into a heatproof bowl and add the hot stock, stirring to mix. Cover and leave for 10-15 minutes to soak and swell, then stir with a fork to fluff up the grains.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven and add the cherry tomatoes and couscous, stirring them through. Season with some pepper. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes to heat through, then serve.
Top tip for making roasted vegetable couscous
You can make this dish go further (and keep it suitable for vegans) by adding a drained can of chickpeas to the raw couscous before you add the hot stock.
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