Festive Pomegranate Couscous Salad

This festive pomegranate couscous salad is as flavorful as it is colorful.

Tangy-sweet pomegranate seeds, lots of fresh parsley, a handful of chopped mint, scallions and a quick lemon-ginger dressing with just enough chili flakes to pep it up. It’s that simple, and yes, that good.

Festive Pomegranate Couscous Salad [Vegan]

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pomegranate seeds (1 larger pomegranate)
• 2 cups (300 gm.) pearl couscous, rinsed and drained (you can also use regular couscous or quinoa)
• 3 cups of water + a pinch of salt
• 4 scallions (white and green parts) chopped
• 2 cups flat-leaf (Italian) parsley loosely chopped
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup pistachios (opt for salt-free)
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate (look to my blog for advice on this).
2. Add 3 cups of water plus a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the rinsed couscous, stir, reduce the heat and cover. Allow the couscous to simmer until the liquid is absorbed (15 minutes). For best results , follow the package instructions.
3. While the couscous is cooking, prepare the dressing by combining 1 cup lemon juice, 2 tsp. grated ginger, ½ tsp. salt and ½ - 1 tsp. red chili flakes and ¼ tsp. ground black pepper in a small bowl.
4. Prep the green onions, parsley and mint. Add these ingredients, plus the pomegranate seeds and pistachios to a medium salad bowl.
5. Once the couscous is done, allow it to cool. I find it easiest to transfer it to a small mixing bowl and stir it a few times. Once it has cooled a bit, add the dressing to the couscous and mix well.
6. Add the couscous to the rest of the salad ingredients and mix well.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/recipe/festive-pomegranate-couscous-salad-vegan/