Smoky Granola and Red Pesto Couscous Salad
This one came together when we were messing around trying to make couscous feel a bit more exciting, and honestly it's become one of our absolute favourites. The red pesto soaks into the couscous and gives it this deep, sun-dried tomato richness, and then the smoky granola on top adds the most satisfying crunch you can imagine. It's the kind of salad that doesn't feel like a salad, if you know what we mean. Proper flavour, proper texture, and it comes together in about 40 minutes. Make this tonight and we promise you'll be thinking about it for days.
Before You Start
- 2x large baking trays
- 2 mixing bowls
- Sealable container for granola storage
- Kettle
Ingredients
- 250g almonds
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp Nooch
- 100g mixed seeds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- pinch of pepper
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 can chickpeas - rinsed and drained
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 200g couscous
- 3 tbsp plant-based tomato pesto
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- large pinch of flaky sea salt
- 1 red pepper
- 15g fresh parsley
- 2 spring onions
- 100g hummus
- handful of smoky granola
- 50g rocket
Method
Make the smoky granola
- Roughly chop the almonds (no less than a quarter of their original size)
- Mix the light soy sauce, olive oil, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder and a pinch of pepper to a mixing bowl and stir to combine
- Add the chopped almonds and mixed seeds to the bowl and stir well to combine
- Roast the coated granola in a single layer on a baking tray and roast for 8 minutes
- Transfer to a fresh baking tray or bowl to prevent overcooking, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt and mix to coat
- Let the granola cool to room temperature, transfer to a clean sealable container and use within 12-14 days
Prepare the roast chickpeas
- Drain, rinse and pat dry the chickpeas and put them in a bowl
- Add the paprika, cumin, cayenne, vinegar, olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper and stir to cover and coat
- Spread the chickpeas out on a baking tray, put the tray in the oven and roast for 25 minutes
Prepare the couscous
- Boil a kettle and tip the couscous, red pesto, salt and pepper into a bowl
- Pour over boiling water so that the couscous is covered by 5mm of water and stir so the pesto mixes with the water
- Cover the bowl and set aside for at least 5 minutes
Prepare the remaining ingredients and finish the couscous
- Trim and finely slice the spring onions
- Halve, core and dice the red pepper
- Finely slice the parsley (saving a few leaves for garnish), discarding the stalks
- Fluff the couscous with a fork, add the spring onions, pepper and parsley to the bowl and fold into the couscous
- Taste and season with salt and pepper
Time to serve
- Spoon the couscous into bowls, top with the roast chickpeas, hummus and rocket
- Sprinkle over the smoky granola and serve immediately
Tips & Variations
- Make extra granola: Trust us on this one, double the granola batch. We always do. It keeps well in a jar and is incredible scattered over soups, salads or just eaten by the handful as a snack.
- Swap the pesto: If you can't find red pesto, a good green basil pesto works brilliantly here too. It changes the vibe slightly but it's still absolutely delicious and worth doing.
- Add some greens: We love stirring a big handful of baby spinach or rocket through the couscous while it's still warm. It wilts down nicely and adds a bit of freshness to balance the smoky, rich flavours.
Why This Works
The trick here is the smoky granola, and we cannot stress enough how much it elevates the whole thing. Coating the almonds and seeds in smoked paprika, nutritional yeast and soy sauce before roasting gives you this savoury, crunchy topping that you'll want to put on everything. It turns a simple couscous salad into something that feels genuinely special.