For how simple and easy it is to make, you might think this couscous salad recipe cannot possibly be as tasty as it actually is. A common misconception of home cooking is that the deliciousness of a meal is directly proportional to the amount time you spend on it. But in my opinion, certain combinations of ingredients, regardless of effort or time-invested, just work well together without much help.
So in relation to this recipe, the natural flavors of the fresh vegetables, lemon-chili marinaded tofu, and pillowy couscous speak for themselves, and don’t take any particular feats of culinary genius or endurance to render delicious and addictively edible. In fact, most of the time spent making this recipe is simply waiting around for things to get done, like for the couscous to cook through or the tofu to press.
And if for any reason you’re put off by the semi-pretentious sound of the pasta that is couscous, don’t be. It’s just pebbled wheat pasta. This is essentially just a pasta salad, and couscous the humble, unassuming vehicle.
Last but not least, this dish is completely oil-free. So for those of you looking to avoid processed oils, this is a great bowl full to keep in the fridge as a quick go-to side dish or snack.
So now that you have no more excuses not to make this (unless you’re gluten intolerant – my condolences!), just give it a go. You can also pretty much use whatever vegetables you want, but I recommend the combination listed.
Couscous Salad with Lemony Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried instant golden couscous
- 1 ¼ cup vegetable broth
- ½ (7-ounces) extra firm tofu, pressed for 30 minutes
- Juice of 2 lemons, about 1/2 cup, divided
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed and blanched for 3 minutes
- 1 cup carrot, grated
- ½ red and yellow bell pepper, finely diced (about 1/2 pepper each)
- 1 medium jalapeño, finely diced
- ½ cup radish, julienned
Instructions
- As always, get the tofu pressing first thing, and let press for about 30 minutes.
- Bring the vegetable broth to a broil in a small to medium pot and then add the dried golden couscous. Remove from the heat, stir, cover and set aside. After 5 to 10 minutes (or however long the particular golden couscous takes to cook), fluff with a fork and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Fluff it again to combine.
- Next, cut the pressed tofu into small cubes. Marinate briefly with 1/4 cup lemon juice, chili powder, and the rest of the salt and pepper. Move the tofu around frequently in the marinade until all the liquid is absorbed by the tofu. This takes about 10 minutes, but you can let it marinate longer if you want.
- Meanwhile grate carrots, blanch peas (briefly boiled for 3 minutes and then doused in ice water), dice the peppers, and julienne radishes (cut into thin strips).
- Combine the couscous with vegetables and tofu. Drizzle with the rest of the lemon juice and remaining tofu marinade and season with additional salt and pepper, if need be.Refrigerate or eat right away!
Let me know if you made this recipe by leaving a comment and rating below.
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And if you thought this recipe was tasty, check out this Turkish Chickpea Salad, too.
As always,
That Vegan Nephew
Hungry for more tofu recipes? Here are some others!
- From Scratch Vegan Hot Dogs
- Meyer Lemon Rice Soup with Tofu
- Potato & Arugula Tofu Frittata
- The Best Tofu Scrambled Eggs
- Avocado & Tofu Canadian Bacon Benedict
- Tofu Fried Rice
Wow. Love this recipe. You can top a salad with it, add sautéed chickpeas, eat it with fresh tomato slices, or just have a bowl full just like it is. If I were to change one thing it would be to use the tri-color cous cous. This would be the perfect side for a potluck or a holiday party with it’s lemony goodness and the crunch of fresh vegetables.