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Bright flavors of pomegranate, mint, lemon, tangy feta, and crunchy cashews make this colorful couscous recipe a winner! Serve hot or cold. Great with meat, chicken, fish, or all on its own!
Couscous With Pomegranate And Mint – Couscous Recipe
Yes, it’s true. I’m a giant food nerd. But I bet I’m not the only one who gets excited when the first pomegranates appear in the produce department each fall.
When the new crop of poms arrived at my local greengrocer last week, I immediately grabbed two. Because ruby red, sweet but tart pomegranate arils (another name for the juicy seeds of pomegranates) are a great addition to so many dishes.
They’re terrific in salads, such as my Pomegranate and Pear Salad with Citrus Dressing. As soon as I harvest my squash, I’ll be using pomegranates to make my recipe for oven-roasted Delicata Squash.
But since the warm weather is still with us, I’m kicking off pomegranate season by making Couscous with Pomegranate and Mint. It’s a perfect bridge between the lighter summertime recipes and the savory, heartier dishes of fall.
What You’ll Need To Make This Couscous Recipe
This couscous recipe, Couscous with Pomegranate and Mint is simple to prepare and loaded with healthy, tasty Mediterranean diet-inspired ingredients, including…
- Couscous
- Pomegranate arils
- Fresh mint
- Lemon zest and lemon juice
- Feta cheese
- Toasted cashews
- Olive oil
- Ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
Why This Couscous Recipe Works
I love the subtle complexity of this flavor profile that is included in my couscous recipe.
The pomegranate arils gives the dish a touch of sweetness and gorgeous flecks of color. Chopped mint and lemon zest add bright, refreshing, grassy notes that are balanced by the salty feta and savory, crunchy cashews.
Serving these distinctive flavors with couscous, a fairly neutral flavored grain, allows each ingredient to shine through. The whole thing is brought together with a light dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and a touch of cumin.
Making And Serving Couscous With Pomegranate And Mint
If you’re looking for an easy to make recipe that’s also easy to love, this is it.
First, you’ll prepare the couscous according to the package directions. Generally, that will involve bringing the couscous to a boil with broth or water, and then taking it off the burner and letting the couscous absorb the liquid.
Once it does, you fluff the couscous with a fork, then add the other ingredients and the dressing, and give the whole thing a toss. That’s really all there is to it!
Couscous with Pomegranate and Mint is terrific served hot or cold. Covered and stored in the refrigerator, it will keep up to four days.
This very versatile dish is a great accompaniment for all kinds of entrees, including grilled meats, chicken, fish, or shrimp. But it’s also wonderful all by itself as a light dinner or lunch entrée.
Give it a try soon!
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Couscous Recipe: Couscous with Pomegranate and Mint
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry couscous, prepared according to package directions with broth or water
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 small pomegranate
- ½ cup cashews, rough chopped (can use roasted or raw cashews lightly toasted in a dry pan)
- ½ cup mint leaves, chopped fine
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 T fresh lemon juice
- 1 T olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fluff the prepared couscous with a fork and place in medium sizes bowl.
- Add crumbled feta, pomegranate, chopped cashews, chopped mint leaves, and the fresh lemon zest (reserve the lemon for juicing later). Toss ingredients to distribute.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over couscous and toss to distribute. Serve warm or cold. Will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
