Lemony spring vegetable and giant couscous salad

Australian comedian Kitty Flanagan shares one of her favourite salad recipes, inspired by a recipe from the book PlantYou. Packed with herbs, marinated artichokes and vegan feta cheese, this is one satisfying plant-based bowl.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into 5 cm lengths
• ½ broccoli head (or 1 bunch broccolini), roughly chopped
• 400 g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup giant (pearl) couscous
• 6 marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 1 cup dill sprigs, roughly chopped
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
• ¼ cup vegan feta cheese
• ¼ cup roasted almonds or walnuts, roughly chopped

For the dressing

• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, to taste
• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp finely chopped dill
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220˚C (200˚C fan-forced). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Combine the asparagus, broccoli and chickpeas on the baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss well to combine, then spread out and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
3. While the vegetables are roasting, bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a small saucepan, then add the couscous and cook until tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
4. Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a large salad bowl and whisk well to combine. Layer over the couscous, roasted vegetables, chickpeas, artichokes, herbs, vegan fetta and chopped nuts, then toss gently to coat with the dressing. Serve warm.

Note

Kitty Flanagan's recipe was inspired by Carleigh Bodrug’s Pearl Couscous with Asparagus and Dill recipe from the book PlantYou.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.