Vegan Israeli Couscous Bowls with Lemon Mint Dressing

I had never directly associated Israeli couscous with Israel. I know that sounds silly – but take the Jerusalem artichoke, for example. No connection to Jerusalem, just a common mispronunciation in Italy that developed into the word Jerusalem. It turns out Israeli couscous really is tied to Israel, something I learned while staffing a Birthright trip two years ago. Our guide mentioned that the “couscous” came about after the War of Independence, when the country was short on goods and the Prime Minister needed to serve its people something that would resemble the rice that had eaten in their European countries of origin. The full (and easier to follow) version of the story is here.

Anyways, I had never purchased these pasta-like balls until today. Call me crazy, but I like to be able to really chew on something when eating pasta — long noodles, stuffed tubes, you get the point. But when I passed a box of Israeli couscous at Trader Joe’s I realized it would be an ideal complement to the roasted veggie grain bowl I’d been dreaming up in my head (though, of course, it’s not a grain).

And…we have a winner! The pasta cooked incredibly fast and even with a touch of olive oil and salt/pepper, I couldn’t stop shoveling it into my mouth. This Israeli couscous salad is good both warm and cold, and the lemon mint dressing is an ode to summer. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 8oz box of Israeli couscous, cooked (follow directions on box)

3 small zucchini, rinsed and stems removed

16 oz of green beans, trimmed and rinsed

6 – 8 carrots, rinsed

2 ears of sweet corned, shucked and rinsed

1 bunch of mint leaves

1 tablespoon of dark mustard

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1 lemon

Olive oil, salt, pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Meanwhile, chop the zucchini into small triangles or half moons.

Line up the corn and carrots on one baking sheet, drizzling lightly with olive oil then moving the veggies around to distribute evenly. Top with salt and pepper.

On another baking sheet, spread out the zucchini and do the same – drizzling, coating and topping with salt and pepper.

Roast the zucchini sheet for 25 minutes, or until the zucchini has browned on the bottom. Remove from the oven and scoop the zucchini into a bowl to set aside.

Using the same baking sheet (because why do more dishes?!) toss in the green beans, drizzle with a bit of oil and top with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes and remove along with the carrots and corn, which will have been roasting for 45 minutes.

Combine the mint leaves – no stems – and juice from one lemon in the blender. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a tablespoon of grain or Dijon mustard, and a tablespoon of maple syrup. Blend thoroughly and set aside.

To prep your cooked couscous, add a tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Use a large knife to chop the corn kernels into the couscous, then stir.

Finally, plate by topping with roasted zucchini, carrot, and green beans and drizzle with the lemon mint dressing. Enjoy!