Description
A delightful and refreshing Cranberry Couscous Salad featuring toasted pecans, aromatic spices, and a tangy honey-apple cider vinegar dressing. Perfect as a vibrant side dish to accompany pork, chicken, or turkey.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Base
- 15 ounces chicken broth
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 ½ cups uncooked couscous
Add-ins
- ½ cup pecan pieces
- ¼ cup chopped green onions (about 3 medium)
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat Broth and Spices: In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken broth, dried cranberries, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and ground cumin. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then remove from heat.
- Cook Couscous: Stir in the uncooked couscous, cover the pan with a lid, and let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes to absorb the liquid and soften.
- Toast Pecans: While the couscous is resting, spread the pecan pieces on a small baking sheet and place under the broiler for 2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Remove once toasted and set aside.
- Fluff and Chill Couscous: Transfer the couscous to a serving bowl and fluff with a fork to separate any clumps. Refrigerate the couscous until thoroughly chilled, about 30 minutes.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and honey until well combined.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: To the chilled couscous, add the toasted pecans, chopped green onions, and fresh mint leaves. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
Notes
- This salad is wonderfully fruity and nutty, offering a fresh flavor that pairs beautifully with pork, chicken, or turkey.
- To toast pecans without a broiler, you can toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- For a vegetarian version, replace chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Adjust honey quantity according to desired sweetness.
- Mint leaves can be substituted with fresh parsley if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 231 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 222 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 1 mg
