A delectable couscous salad combines the traditional flavors of figs and Gorgonzola cheese. Use only high-quality balsamic vinegar; it makes all the difference in this situation.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 25 mins |
| Total Time: | 45 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup pearl (Israeli) couscous
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 7 ounces dried figs, stems removed and finely chopped
- ⅓ cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- ¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried
Instructions
- Pour water into a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in couscous, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until couscous is cooked and water is fully absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer couscous to a large bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until slightly caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add dried figs and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Mix in balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper, and cook until mixture thickens slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour fig mixture over cooked couscous and stir to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 tablespoons of crumbled Gorgonzola and the toasted walnuts to the couscous; toss to combine.
- Divide spinach between four serving dishes. Top each with equal amounts of fig and couscous mixture. Top each salad with additional Gorgonzola crumbles, if desired. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 622 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 76 g |
| Cholesterol | 30 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 11 g |
| Protein | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Sodium | 361 mg |
| Sugars | 35 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
My mom and I thought this was the best thing we’d ever eaten! I didn’t have enough spinach so I took the little that I did have and sliced it up and mixed it in. Will definitely make again!
This was a big hit with my family. Delicious!
Best salad I’ve made in a while! I used “Middle Eastern Couscous Triknoa”. I have no idea if that is the correct kind, but, it looks similar and tasted great!
Thought this was easy, delicious and interesting! Swapped walnuts for almonds and at least doubled the spinach…..oh, and failing to find Israeli couscous, it was perfectly delicious although possibly less beautiful with regular. Serves 6-8 easy. Plan to try leftover mixture on fresh spinach again tomorrow to see if it’s just as yummy!
No I didn’t make any changes. However, I will not make it again. Too much work for a flavor that was just blah.