Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing

The perfect salad does exist, the ones that you can make ahead and enjoy for days on end. Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing is just that salad. Impressive enough to share on the holidays but approachable for a weeknight dish.

I'm using Epic Broth to cook the couscous for ultimate flavor - this salad his slightly sweet but has notes of savory as well. The pomegranate arils give a burst of tartness while the delicata squash is roasted with honey to give it a bit of sweetness. But most of all the dressing is what ties it together - sweet and full of citrus flavor. Customize it to make it your own.

Ingredients for Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing

Simple and warm ingredients make this dish stand out and perfect for the holiday table.

• Pearl Couscous - Don't be confused by pearl couscous and traditional couscous. pearl couscous are MUCH larger granules, they look like little tiny pearls where regular couscous is finer almost like bulgur. This salad is made with pearl couscous and can be found in the grain or natural food section of your grocery store. Bob's Red Mill carries it and is great quality.
• Butter - Toasting your couscous is an important step in bringing flavor to your dish, very similar to toasting the vermicelli noodle in Lebanese rice.
• Broth - I'm using Epic Chicken Bone Broth for this recipe, it's hearty, great flavor and adds a richness to the couscous when cooked.
• Delicata Squash - If you've never tried delicata squash, you're in for a treat. They are small squash with tender skin that is edible. Simply cut, scoop out side and roast. They have a mild, almost sweet flavor.
• Olive Oil - We'll be using olive oil to roast our squash along with some spices and honey as well as in our dressing.
• Honey - I love using honey in a savory dish, it really brings out flavors. A bit of honey in our squash mixture helps to get the squash nice and caramelized. We'll also add to our dressing
• All spice - Allspice is an earthy and warm spice added to our squash mixture.
• Shallot - Shallots are used in our dressing base, minced shallots are a little less intense than onions.
• Orange - We'll be using both the zest and juice of an orange, that bright, citrus flavor will make our dressing pop
• Pomegranate Molasses - Pomegranate molasses isn't sweet like you might think, it's actually quite tart and replaces a vinegar component in our dressing.
• Salt and pepper - Basic seasonings that we'll use throughout our dish
• Pomegranate Arils - I personally take apart a pomegranate but you can certainly buy arils ready in the produce section. Head to my video to see how to remove the pomegranate arils easily.
• Pecans - That extra crunch is wonderful in this salad.
• Pepitas - Again, bringing crunchy elements makes this salad stand out.
• Parmesan Cheese - You really could choose just about any cheese for this salad, goat cheese would be wonderful! I've chosen some shards of fresh parmesan.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions for Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing

1. Begin by cooking your pearl couscous - make sure it is pearl couscous which are much larger grains than standard couscous. In a wide skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter on medium-high heat, add your dry couscous and begin to toast, stirring frequently. Allow couscous to turn golden brown and quickly add your Epic Chicken Bone Broth. Be careful as steam rises when adding broth. Allow mixture to come to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Once your couscous is done, allow to cool to room temperature or pop into the fridge if assembling the next day.
2. Prepare your delicata squash. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim both ends of your squash then carefully cut straight down the center to expose 2 halves. Scoop seeds out and then begin cutting each half into ¼” half moons, skin-side up. In a large bowl combine your olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and allspice and whisk until combined. Toss your squash slices and mix to ensure they are coated in mixture. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and line your squash pieces so they are not touching. Bake for 15 minutes in upper ⅓ of oven, then flip pieces and bake for another 15 minutes. They should be crisp and slightly caramelized when done.
3. Combine your dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until thickened.
4. In a large bowl, add your cooled couscous, pomegranate arils, delicata squash, parmesan shreds, pecans and pepitas (see note). Add your dressing and mix to combine. Enjoy!

Substitutions for Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing

Unfortunately couscous is not gluten-free, however using rice in it's place would be a lovely change. I'd go with a wild rice or black rice to make a wow statement.

• Pomegranate arils - I could seeing using some thinly sliced persimmons in this salad as a lovely swap for the pomegranate arils. You could also slice a tart apple.
• Pecans - Any nut would be lovely, almonds or walnuts would work just as well as pecans.
• Parmesan Cheese - If I wasn't making this to appease my kids, I probably would have used goat cheese in this recipe. That would be a lovely swap for fresh parmesan cheese. Manchego would also be wonderful.

Variations for Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing

As I mentioned above, you could certainly use rice to make this gluten free but other ideas include:

• Orzo noodles
• Barley
• Farro

How Do I Store Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing?

This salad is wonderful the 2nd day and through the week. Top it with some chicken or steak for a complete meal. Store in sealed container in the fridge.

Can I Freeze Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing?

This recipe will not hold well to freezing, it's best to enjoy immdiately.

Can I Make Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing Ahead?

ABSOLUTELY! It's actually quite delicious as a leftover. However, if you are serving to guests, I would make the couscous, dressing and squash ahead and store in fridge. The day of your dinner, assemble and add your toppings. This will keep it fresh and lively for entertaining.

I hope you enjoy this Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing  as much my family does! If you make   Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing, please let me know by leaving a rating and review below!

As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media #cosetteskitchen which lets me know what is working for you! You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter , Tiktok and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!

xoxo,
Cosette

Pearl Couscous Salad with Delicata Squash and Orange Dressing

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• Author: Cosette's Kitchen
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Salad

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Description

A lovely balance of citrus dressing with couscous, delicata squash and fall favorites. Perfect for a holiday gathering! 

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Couscous

• 1 ½ cup pearl couscous
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 14 oz Epic Chicken Bone Broth

Delicata Squash

• 1 delicata squash
• 1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon all spice

Dressing

• 1 ½ Tablespoon minced shallot
• zest of one orange
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Additional Ingredients

• ⅓ cup pomegranate arils
• ¼ cup pecans
• ¼ cup pepitas
• ⅓ fresh shards of parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Couscous

1. Begin by cooking your pearl couscous - make sure it is pearl couscous which are much larger grains than standard couscous.
2. In a wide skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter on medium-high heat, add your dry couscous and begin to toast, stirring frequently. Allow couscous to turn golden brown and quickly add your Epic Chicken Bone Broth. Be careful as steam rises when adding broth.
3. Allow mixture to come to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Once your couscous is done, allow to cool to room temperature or pop into the fridge if assembling the next day.

Squash

1. Prepare your delicata squash. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Trim both ends of your squash then carefully cut straight down the center to expose 2 halves.
3. Scoop seeds out and then begin cutting each half into ¼” half moons, skin-side up. In a large bowl combine your olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and allspice and whisk until combined.
4. Toss your squash slices and mix to ensure they are coated in mixture.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and line your squash pieces so they are not touching.
6. Bake for 15 minutes in upper ⅓ of oven, then flip pieces and bake for another 15 minutes. They should be crisp and slightly caramelized when done.

Dressing

1. Combine your dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until thickened.

Assembly

1. In a large bowl, add your cooled couscous, pomegranate arils, delicata squash, parmesan shreds, pecans and pepitas (see note). Add your dressing and mix to combine. Enjoy!

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Notes

• I like to toast my pecans and petitas together before adding to the salad, you can even add a touch of honey and flake while toasting for an extra touch.
• If making your salad ahead of time, add ½ cup of dressing to JUST the couscous and place in fridge. When ready to serve, add your extras and final ¼ cup of dressing and mixt to combine.
• If using table salt, be sure to half the amount in all steps
• Substitutions: the mix-ins are flexible, feel free to add dried cherries in place of pomegranate, other types of nuts and goat cheese for parmesan