Moroccan Roasted Veg Salad is quick & easy to make – roasted peppers, eggplant, garbanzo beans, caramel-like medjool dates, toasted almonds, fresh mint served with steamed couscous & drizzled with a lemon dressing & creamy yogurt – a perfect warm salad for a busy weeknight meal.
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Perhaps a more appropriate name for this recipe is – ‘Moroccan-inspired Roasted Veg Salad’ as the ingredients are reminiscent of Morocco – cinnamon, dates, yogurt, honey, mint & couscous – all used in Moroccan cooking but perhaps not quite authentically. Still the inspiration is definitely North African & with whiffs of Mediterranean.
The whole meal comes together fast – eggplant & sweet peppers are roasting as the couscous steams & you make a dressing of sorts. Once the veggies have caramelized & the couscous has been fluffed then the whole lot gets drizzled with a lemony vinaigrette. And you can be enjoying a nourishing meal in about 30 minutes, give or take. Hopefully there’s leftovers because this is as good cold as it is piping hot. Cheers, enjoy! Lovoni xo
Looking for some more fast & fresh inspiration? Then Tomato Goat Cheese Tarts are perfect. And One Pan Garlic Butter Shrimp & Broccoli. Or delicious Mexican Bruschetta.
Moroccan Roasted Veg Salad
Ingredients
- medium eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 2 red bell peppers, quartered, seeded & cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon extra
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (chili flakes)
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt & freshly ground pepper
- 1 2/3 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth
- 10 oz (284g) box plain cous cous
- 8 medjool dates, pitted & quartered
- 15 oz (410g)can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed & drained
- 1/2 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 1/3 cup slivered (or sliced) almonds, toasted
- plain yogurt, for serving
LEMON DRESSING
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- pinch of salt & freshly ground pepper
- To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar & shake vigorously until well combined.
- Preheat oven to 425F (225C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss eggplant, bell pepper, 2 tablespoons of oil, crushed red pepper, cinnamon, salt & pepper together on the baking sheet. Spread mixture out into a single layer as best as you can. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cous cous, remaining 1 tablespoon of oil & a pinch of salt & pepper; stir with a fork. Cover & remove from the heat. Let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
- Add dates & beans to the eggplant mixture. Roast for 10 minutes or until eggplant is softened. Drizzle the eggplant mixture with half of the dressing, tossing to coat everything. Spoon the cous cous onto a serving platter or individual plates, top with the eggplant mixture, drizzle with the remaining dressing, sprinkle with mint leaves & almonds; serve with yogurt. Serves 4 to 6.
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