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This couscous sweet potato salad with kale, pomegranate seeds, and corn is tossed in a simple, zesty lime vinaigrette you'll be making all winter long.
The hearty greens are perfect for meal prepping so you always have a healthy lunch and dinner waiting for me in the fridge.
It is the perfect winter salad to satisfy on even the chilliest of days or pair it with your favorite soup for an even heartier meal.
Like pretty much everyone, I don’t have time to make a healthy lunch every day. That means being prepared with something I can pull out of the fridge and heat up - or not! - in a few minutes.
You’ve probably heard me talk about how much I love pasta salad for this very reason. This Couscous Salad with Kale, Sweet Potato, and Pomegranate reminds me of a lightened up version of pasta salad.
It's delightful cold or warm, but I prefer it just a little warm to take the chill off.
If you want to make it gluten-free, you can certainly do so by swapping in quinoa, millet, sorghum, or another gluten-free grain for the couscous. Easy!
Make this salad gluten-free
Swap out the couscous with:
- quinoa
- millet
- sorghum
- gluten-free pasta
- brown rice
- amaranth
This salad was designed to hold up in the fridge for days. In fact, it gets even better as the couscous and veggies marinate in the zippy lime dressing. All you need for the dressing is:
- lime juice
- olive oil (avocado oil would work too!)
- agave or maple syrup
- salt
- pepper
You’ll want to use a sturdy leafy green to ensure your salad doesn’t turn to mush. I would avoid spinach, arugula, and romaine unless you're going to eat it right away.
Kale is my preferred option. I simply adore the combo of kale and roasted sweet potato. You could also use chard or collard greens.
The salad itself only has a few ingredients that all come together quickly:
- sweet potatoes
- olive oil
- paprika
- pearled couscous
- kale
- pomegranate seeds
- fire roasted corn
- sunflower seed kernels
Toss everything together and divide it between four containers for an easy grab-and-go lunch that tastes great warm or cold.
This Couscous Salad with Kale, Sweet Potato and Pomegranate also makes a great side if you’re feeding a larger group for dinner.
Pairing it with tomato basil soup would be so tasty and comforting!
Couscous Salad with Kale, Sweet Potato and Pomegranate
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Oven and Stovetop
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This couscous sweet potato salad with kale, pomegranate seeds, and corn is tossed in a simple, zesty lime vinaigrette you'll be making all winter long. It makes a healthy and satisfying pack-and-go lunch or a delicious side to your favorite soup.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ cups pearled couscous
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 ½ cups kale or other sturdy greens
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup fire roasted corn
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels
- Hemp seeds, for garnish (optional)
For the dressing: - 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon agave (or maple syrup)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Make the sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 400F degrees. Spill the diced sweet potato onto a large baking sheet and toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until the sweet potato is fork tender and slightly browned.
- Cook the couscous. Meanwhile, combine the couscous and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil for 8 to 10 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the couscous is fluffy. Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil and stir to prevent the couscous from sticking together. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl and toss with the chopped kale.
- Make the dressing. To make the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Toss the salad. Once the sweet potato is done roasting, add it to the bowl with the couscous and kale. Drizzle with half the dressing and toss to coat. Adjust salt and lime juice to taste.
- Finish the salad. If serving family style, transfer the salad to a large platter. Top with pomegranate, roasted corn, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad just before serving.
Notes
Meal Prep: If packing away for lunches, add the pomegranate, roasted corn, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds to the bowl and toss to combine. Divide between four containers and refrigerate. Drizzle with more dressing just before eating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 8.2 g
- Sodium: 490.3 mg
- Fat: 17.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 74.2 g
- Fiber: 7.4 g
- Protein: 11.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Julia
Beautiful, colorful and nutritious recipe! I also added avocado and used toasted almonds instead of the seeds. Added radish too. Loved the dressing and will definitely be using again!
Olivia
Gorgeous and delicious combination of textures, flavors. I ate this for days and was sad when I finished the last bite. The only thing I didn't include was the optional hemp seeds. Thank you for this tasty, healthful, and filling recipe. I'm making it again right now!