2/1/12

6 Southwest Couscous Salad & Dip


Couscous, a light and fluffy pasta, is mixed in with tomatoes, black beans, soft, ripe avacados, sweet corn, and tossed in a lime ~ cumin infused vinaigrette.  Tastes even better the next day with all the flavors married together, creating a burst of flavors in each bite.

I saw this salad at a potluck and it was gone in a hurry ~ I mean, people crowded around this large bowl and kept scooping spoonfuls onto their plates.  Tortilla chips were served along with the salad, creating a fun way to enjoy eating it.

Couscous, a funny name, is a semolina pasta ~ it is SO easy to cook.  Bring some chicken stock to a boil, throw in the couscous, cover and remove from the stove for five minutes.

Fluff it up with a fork and it's ready to go!


The dressing is also very easy to whip up.  Olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, and powdered cumin are blended together.

Then add a very well rinsed and drained can of black beans and some frozen corn.  The roasted corn I froze over the summer added a wonderful smokey flavor.



There is minimal chopping: a Roma tomato, green onions, avacado and fresh cilantro.

Toss in the couscous, put in the fridge for a few hours and you are good to go!





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Southwest Couscous Salad & Dip
Couscous is a small, light & fluffy pasta that when mixed with diced tomatoes, black beans, ripe avocados, sweet corn and tossed with a lime-infused vinaigrette, it makes a refreshing salad that can do double duty as a tortilla chip dip.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup uncooked couscous
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
  • 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 lime)
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 green onions, finely diced
  • 1 Roma tomato, diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained well
  • 1 avocado, peeled and diced
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger saucepan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove it from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, tomato, cilantro, corn, drained beans and avocado. Toss to coat.3. Fluff the couscous well with a fork, breaking up any chunks. Add the couscous to the bowl with vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.4. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 4 hours or longer. Flavors blend better after a day in the fridge.Serve alone or with a large bowl of tortilla chips.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4 cups

6 comments:

  1. I am so making this for the Super Bowl!!!!

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  2. this looks so light and fresh! thanks for sharing :)

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  3. What a great recipe for couscous. Looks to delicious. Come visit. We have a terrific quinoa recipe this week.

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  4. This looks fabulous! We love couscous!

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  5. I had couscous for the first time ever on New Years Eve and it was the best start to a new year I've ever had! I pinned this recipe immediately, can't wait to try this at my next get together!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! I tried couscous for the first time with THIS recipe ~ and fell in love immediately. I cannot believe how simple it is to make!

      Enjoy!

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