Delia Smith Couscous Salad Recipe

This Delia Smith roasted vegetable couscous salad is made with aubergine (eggplant), courgettes (zucchini), fennel, cherry tomatoes, and peppers, all roasted at 240°C (475°F) until charred, then tossed with fluffy couscous and a spiced lime dressing. It serves 4 and works as a main course or a summer side.

I was never a couscous person until I made this. Delia’s couscous salad recipe from How to Cook pairs the roasted vegetables with a dressing that has cayenne, cumin, and lime, and it turns something I thought was bland into something I actually want to eat cold the next day.

More Salad Recipes:

• Potato Salad
• Rice Salad
• Caesar Salad

How to Flavour a Couscous Salad

Plain couscous tastes of nothing, but Delia solves this by soaking it in hot vegetable stock instead of water, which gives it a savoury base before anything else goes in. The spiced dressing does the rest.

The dressing here is what makes this a summer couscous salad worth making. Cayenne, cumin, tomato purée, and fresh lime juice mixed with olive oil: it is basically a quick harissa without needing to buy a jar.

Roasted Vegetable Couscous Salad Ingredients

The Roasted Vegetables:

• 1 small aubergine (eggplant), cut into 2.5cm dice
• 2 medium courgettes (zucchini), cut into 2.5cm dice
• 1 small bulb of fennel, chopped
• 450g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes, skins removed
• 1 small red or yellow pepper (capsicum), deseeded and cut into squares
• 1 large onion, sliced into squares
• 2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons of fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil for roasting
• 1 tablespoon of capers (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of chopped black olives (optional)
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper

The Couscous:

• 275g (10 oz) medium couscous
• 500ml (18 fl oz) vegetable stock, boiling

The Dressing:

• 120ml (4 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 rounded teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons of ground cumin
• 2 heaped tablespoons of tomato purée
• 4 tablespoons of lime juice (about 2 limes)

To Finish:

• 110g (4 oz) firm goat cheese, cubed
• 75g (3 oz) mixed leaves: rocket (arugula), coriander (cilantro), flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon of nigella seeds for garnish

How To Make Delia Smith Couscous Salad

1. Salt the aubergine: Spread the aubergine and courgette pieces on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat dry.
2. Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F). Toss all the vegetables with the olive oil, garlic, and basil. Spread on a roasting tray and roast for 30 minutes until charred at the edges.
3. Soak the couscous: Put the couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling stock over, stir once, cover with cling film (plastic wrap), and leave for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
4. Make the dressing: Whisk the olive oil, cayenne, cumin, tomato purée, and lime juice together until smooth.
5. Assemble: Spread the couscous in a wide serving bowl. Fold in the roasted vegetables, capers, and olives. Pour the dressing over and toss gently.
6. Finish: Scatter the goat cheese cubes, mixed leaves, and nigella seeds on top. Serve at room temperature.

What Dressing Goes on Couscous Salad?

Delia’s dressing is a spiced oil with cayenne, cumin, tomato purée, and lime, whisked together until smooth. I have tried plain lemon and olive oil on couscous and it is flat compared to this.

If you want a shortcut, swap the cayenne and cumin for 2 tablespoons of harissa paste mixed with the lime juice and oil. It gives you the same warmth with less measuring, and that is what most harissa dressing recipes do anyway. For something milder, use smoked paprika instead, or try one of Delia’s other dressings if you want to skip the spice entirely.

What To Serve With Couscous Salad

This is the salad I take to summer barbecues because it sits at room temperature without wilting. I assemble everything except the leaves, pack it in a sealed container, and scatter the rocket and goat cheese on top when I arrive.

It works alongside grilled lamb, chicken, or a Greek salad for a Mediterranean spread. For a bigger buffet I put it next to the fruit salad for contrast.

Next-Day Leftovers

I often make this the day before and eat it cold for lunch because the couscous absorbs the dressing overnight and the flavour gets stronger. Add a squeeze of fresh lime before eating if it tastes flat.

It keeps for 3 days covered in the fridge. Do not add the leaves until you are ready to eat because they wilt quickly.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 520 kcal
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Fibre: 7g
• Protein: 15g

Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 4 servings.

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