Pesto Couscous and Chickpea Salad

So, you don’t feel like cooking, but you want something nutritious and healthy. You want something with lots of protein and veggies and maybe a little bit of spice. What would you do? Make pesto couscous and chickpea salad! An ideal lazy day chickpea salad recipe that is so easy to prepare still packs a flavor punch and is super delicious.

This colorful pesto couscous recipe is bursting with chickpeas, decorated with pearl couscous, infused with herbs and spices, and topped with homemade nutty pesto dressing. The pesto dressing is OUT OF THIS WORLD! It’s super fresh, filling, healthy, and simple to make. It comes together in 25 minutes and is a great dish to take on picnics or potlucks. I’d say it’s my top-of-the-list summer salad!

This roasted chickpea salad is gorgeous when served in bowls, as shown here, but it also makes a stunning centerpiece when served on a platter with crunchy vegetables and fresh mint leaves. This salad’s hemp seeds and fresh mint bring a nice crunch, complementing the soft couscous and creamy chickpeas.

Pesto Dressing

Pesto is a fresh and vibrant Mediterranean herb sauce traditionally made from basil plant leaves, pine nuts, baby spinach, and hemp seeds mixed with olive oil. The flavors of basil and pine nuts provide a bright and earthy taste, hemp seeds add a bit of nutritional touch, and lemon gives it a tang, resulting in a versatile sauce that can be used for multiple recipes and this pesto couscous and chickpea salad is no exception. A savory touch is added to the dressing with lemon juice for a zesty kiss.

What is Couscous?

Couscous is the national dish of Morocco and is also eaten in other parts of Africa and the Middle East. The word couscous comes from the Arabic word “al-kuskus”, which means to crush or granulate. t is a classic Moroccan starch made of semolina flour combined with water and salt.

For the couscous, the semolina is steamed, then rolled out into flat, thin sheets before being rolled into tiny grains or cut into larger pieces. Unlike Italian pasta, couscous is never cooked but rather added to the hot liquid and steamed to plump the grains.

Well, couscous is not only delicious, but it’s healthy too. Couscous contains complex carbohydrates, protein, and iron. It comes in a few different sizes. Moroccan couscous pieces are the smallest, while pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous) is slightly larger, with the chewy semolina balls roughly the size of little peppercorns.

How to make Pesto Couscous and Chickpea Salad

Pesto couscous and chickpea salad is a delightful dish with pearl couscous as the show’s star. Adding Pesto gives it a minty and refreshing twist while adding a ton of flavor. Starchy chickpeas and hemp seeds add that nutrition and texture. This couscous recipe can be served as a healthy meal on its own or is an excellent accompaniment to any entree. Here are the steps to make pesto couscous and chickpea salad.

Ingredients for Pesto Couscous and Chickpea Salad

Pesto Dressing

2 cups fresh basil
3/4 cup fresh baby spinach
juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp salt

Chickpea & Couscous Salad

1 cup pearl couscous
1 tbsp olive oil
1 15oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp turmeric
pinch of sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper
1/2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 cups greens of choice

Instructions – Pesto Couscous and Chickpea Salad

Preheat the oven to 350°F
Prepare the pesto dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a blender and blending until smooth and set aside.
Cook the pearl couscous per packet instructions.
To a small mixing bowl, add the chickpeas, olive oil, paprika, and turmeric, and toss together until well coated. Add the coated chickpeas to a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
In a large salad bowl, add the greens, cooked couscous, hemp seeds, salt and pepper, and Pesto, and toss them together.
Serve in bowls topped with the roasted chickpeas

Recipe Variations:

Gluten-free – If you’re avoiding gluten, no problem! You can switch the couscous with any other grain of your choice. You can choose from rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or this gluten-free couscous. Alternatively, you could omit the couscous and add lentils and more beans instead.

Pesto – Feel free to experiment with the flavor of this recipe by trying out different types of Pesto. Just make sure to choose a bold pesto that you love since it will be this dish’s primary source of flavor.

I have used Basil-Mint Pesto in this dish for a minty flavor, but you go Spicy Sage Pesto for a spice kick or Asian Pesto. If you don’t have time to make your own pesto, you can store-bought.

Can I substitute chickpeas with anything in this recipe?

Pesto Couscous and Chickpea Salad are immensely satisfying and delicious. I love the addition of chickpeas, and in fact, I always have them in this salad. However, they can be substituted with white beans if you’re not a fan.

It will be equally tasty, although the crunchy chickpeas are a nice touch. The addition of white beans in this butter bean salad is a good idea, as it gives a similar nutty flavor to the chickpeas.

Homemade or canned chickpeas?

When you cook your chickpeas yourself, it takes a little more effort, but there’s no better way to get the fresh, full-bodied flavor. If you’re short on time, the canned chickpeas will do just fine; make sure you drain and rinse them well before cooking.

You don’t have to spend time soaking, cooking, and draining when you use canned chickpeas. They’re just as healthy as home-cooked chickpeas, saving a lot of work.