This sweet potato couscous salad is a hearty lunch or light dinner, and feels especially perfect for the fall months. Very simple to make, it combines roasted sweet potato with creamy mozzarella and toasted pumpkin seeds.
If you love salads for the summer or fall months, or all-year round really(!), then you may like to see my roasted beet and broccoli salad and quinoa and fennel salad. Both bursting with flavour!
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Roasted sweet potatoes. Need I say more? So good, with the best, very slightly, sweet taste. You can sprinkle with a little spice if you like too.
Hearty. This is definitely a salad with more than just some green leaves! It's a hearty lunch or an evening meal for summer.
Versatile. It can be a main dish, made vegan without the cheese, or served in smaller quantities as a side dish.
🍠 Ingredients
This fall salad has a fairly short list of ingredients, and many are pantry staples. The main ingredients you will need are:
- Sweet potatoes - dice into fairly small bite-size pieces that will mix well with the couscous and other ingredients.
- Couscous - personally I use regular couscous but you can purchase wholewheat couscous, or even gluten free couscous.
- Mozzarella - you want the fresh mozzarella that comes in a package with liquid rather than the type you can slice.
- Pumpkin seeds - for a good crunch. The Terrasoul organic pumpkin seeds are good.
- Parsley - you want fresh parsley, and a good amount as this is the main flavour of the dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar - this gives the dressing its 'tang'. My low histamine readers may wish to swap out for white distilled vinegar or omit completely if they aren't able to tolerate well.
📖 Variations to the recipe
The mozzarella is optional for this salad. If you are vegan, then you can either use a vegan substitute if this works for you, or simply omit and increase the quantity of pumpkin seeds for some extra protein.
If parsley isn't for you, then you can swap out for coriander / cilantro or basil.
For those who prefer to be wheat or gluten free, you can swap out for quinoa.
🔪 Step by step instructions
This sweet potato couscous salad has a few steps, but all are very simple to do.
Step 1
Scatter the sweet potato on the tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sweet paprika, if using. Bake until turning very slightly golden brown at the edges and fork tender.
Step 2
Cook the couscous according to packet instructions. Usually you simply add to a bowl, pour over boiling water and then cover.
Step 3
Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients, and stirring well. Adjust to add more honey or parsley to taste preference.
Step 4
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan (without oil) until they begin to turn very light golden brown. They may also pop.
Allow the ingredients to cool, and then combine and serve. Drizzle over the dressing and garnish with green onion, if using.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Roast the sweet potato until it is fork tender and slightly brown around the edges. It is best to dice into small bite-size pieces which best suits a salad and also reduces cook time.
- Allow the sweet potato, couscous and pumpkin seeds to cool before combining with the cheese and other ingredients.
- This salad has fairly subtle flavours, so adjust the amount of honey and herbs to taste. You can always add more for a bigger flavour.
📋 Frequently asked questions
It's down to personal choice. Personally I prefer the texture when peeled, but keep them as is if you prefer!
If it works for you, then definitely!
Yes, it's perfect as a side salad too!
Yes, both work really well for this salad.
🥗 More salad recipes to enjoy
Find fun and flavourful salad recipes, including my popular butternut and beet salad and my roasted vegetable pasta salad. Some recent recipes:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating if you tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup cous cous
- 2 small sweet potato peeled, diced into chunks
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella torn into small pieces
- 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- large handful arugula / rocket or other salad leaf
- 1 green onion optional, diced
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika optional
- 2 tablespoon parsley
For the dressing
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar optional, or white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- large handful parsley finely diced
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 390F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Once at temperature, scatter the sweet potato on the tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sweet paprika, if using. Bake for 20-25 minutes until turning very slightly golden brown at the edges (but not burnt!).
- Make the couscous according to packet instructions.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds by adding to a pan (without oil). Fry on a low heat for 4-5 minutes until they turn light golden brown. They may also start to pop.
- Make the parsley dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and stirring well.
- Once the sweet potato and couscous have cooled, combine with the other ingredients. Drizzle over the dressing.
Notes
- Dice the sweet potato into fairly small pieces. This both better combines with the other ingredients for a salad, and also decreases cook time.
- Allow the sweet potato and couscous to cool before combining with the mozzarella.
- Adjust the amount of parsley to taste preference. This is the 'big' flavour of the salad, so add more if you like a more herby taste.
- If you are gluten-free or wheat sensitive, then swap out the couscous for quinoa.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- Apple cider vinegar, which scores 1. This is optional. If not using, you may wish to reduce the amount of olive oil used.
- Black pepper, which is optional.
- Cous cous, for the wheat, which scores 1.
- Arugula is not rated (only use if you know you tolerate well).
- Green onion is not rated (only use if you know you tolerate well).
Shruti Chopra says
I love this!! Also, I'm not the best when it comes to cooking, so thank you for the step-by-step instructions even for a simple recipe like because it just adds that element of confidence for non-cooks like me.
Claire says
thanks Shruti! Hope the instructions are helpful and I know you are good at cooking even if you don't think so!
Amanda says
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I just had two helpings and am about to burst.
throughthefibrofog says
so glad you like it Amanda!