Israeli Couscous Recipe with Chopped Vegetables, Chickpeas, and Artichokes
(from castro15’s recipe box)
Categories: Salad
Ingredients
- For the Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette
- 1 large lemon, juice of
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp dill weed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- For the Israeli Couscous
- 2 cups Israeli couscous (Pearl couscous)
- Olive oil
- Water
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup finely chopped red onions
- 1/2 English cucumber, finely chopped
- 15 oz can chickpeas
- 14 oz can good quality artichoke hearts, roughly chopped if needed
- 1/2 cup good pitted kalamta olives
- 15-20 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped or torn; more for garnish
- 10 mini fresh mozzarella balls (or 1 cup chopped fresh mozzarella), optional
Directions
- To make the lemon-dill vinaigrette, place the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together to combine. Set aside briefly.
- In a medium-sized heavy pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the couscous in the olive oil briefly until golden brown. Add 3 cups of boiling water (or the amount instructed on the package), and cook according to package. When ready, drain in a colander. Set aside in a bowl to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients minus the basil and mozzarella. Then add the couscous and the basil and mix together gently.
- Now, give the lemon-dill vinaigrette a quick whisk and add it to the couscous salad. Mix again to combine. Test and adjust salt, if needed.
- Finally mix in the mozzarella cheese. Garnish with more fresh basil. Enjoy!