Broccoli and Pearl Couscous Crunch Salad

Name: Broccoli and Pearl Couscous Crunch Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 100 g salami; 1.5 medium heads broccoli; 1 cup pearl couscous; 1/3 cup almonds, chopped into big pieces; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; 1 red onion; 2 clove garlic; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese; 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp lemon zest; 1 tsp olive oil; 1/4 tsp cooking salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper

A vibrant, texture-packed salad featuring tender-crisp marinated broccoli, chewy pearl couscous, and a savory salami-almond fry-up. This dish perfectly balances sweet dried cranberries with a zesty honey-mustard dressing for a satisfying meal or side.

Servings4 Portions

Prep Time25 Mins

Cook Time15 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

salami
100 g
medium heads broccoli
1.5
pearl couscous
1 cup
almonds, chopped into big pieces
0.3 cup
dried cranberries
0.5 cup
red onion
1
garlic
2 clove
parmesan cheese
0.3 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp
honey
1 tbsp
red wine vinegar
1 tbsp
Dijon mustard
1 tsp
lemon zest
1 tsp
olive oil
1 tsp
cooking salt
0.3 tsp
black pepper
0.1 tsp

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the dressing by combining the extra-virgin olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and black pepper in a small jar. Shake vigorously until the ingredients are well emulsified.

Finely chop the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces suitable for scooping with a spoon. Aim for pieces no larger than 1.5cm (0.6") long, ensuring the stem parts are chopped slightly smaller than the florets for a consistent texture.

Place 4 cups of the chopped broccoli into a large mixing bowl. Toss thoroughly with the red wine vinegar, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing. Let the mixture marinate for 30 minutes; this softens the broccoli slightly and removes its raw edge.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook the pearl couscous for 5 minutes, adding the dried cranberries during the final 30 seconds of cooking to plump them up. Drain well and return to the saucepan. While still hot, toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and set aside for 10 minutes to cool and absorb the flavors.