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Autumn Pearl Couscous Salad

Autumn pearl couscous salad with roasted butternut squash and maple balsamic dressing. Golden Israeli couscous pearls are cooled, tossed with greens and crunchy pecans, then topped with goat cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Autumn pearl couscous salad base
  • 2 cup pearl (Israeli) couscous Cooked per package, then cooled to room temperature.
  • 2 cup butternut squash, cubed Roast until golden at 425F.
  • 2 cup arugula or mixed greens
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup pecans, toasted
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
  • 0.25 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
Maple balsamic dressing
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Dijon
  • 0.01 salt To taste.
  • 0.01 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the couscous
  1. Cook the pearl couscous according to package directions, then cool to room temperature before mixing.
Roast the butternut squash
  1. Roast the cubed butternut squash at 425F with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan until golden, about 25 minutes, then cool slightly.
Make the maple balsamic dressing
  1. Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine the cooled couscous, roasted butternut squash, arugula or mixed greens, dried cranberries, and pecans in a large bowl.
  2. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
  3. Top with the crumbled goat cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds right before serving.

Notes

For the best texture, cool the couscous and squash before dressing so the greens don’t wilt. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; keep dressing separate if possible to preserve crunch. Freezing is not recommended for this salad. For a dairy-free swap, use a dairy-free feta-style crumble instead of goat cheese.