Roasted vegetable couscous is an instant favorite: colorful vegetables are tossed in flavorful olive oil, roasted until caramelized, and mixed with fluffy couscous. Simple, fast and satisfying.
I love recipes with lots of color. For this dish I chose a rainbow of vegetables, roasted them until they caramelized, and combined them with couscous. There’s no complicated dressing or extra herbs—just the vegetables’ natural juices, a chili-infused olive oil, and salt and pepper. That’s all you need.
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the tastiest.
Start by arranging tomatoes on a rimmed sheet pan—grape and sungold work beautifully. Even out-of-season tomatoes add bright flavor here.
Dice a medium orange bell pepper into bite-size pieces.
Quarter 8–10 cremini mushrooms; they’re meaty and hold up well in a very hot oven.
Trim and halve one small zucchini and one small yellow summer squash, then slice into half-moons.
Chop one small red onion.
Place the full array of vegetables on the sheet pan in a single layer so they roast instead of steam.
Drizzle with about 4 tablespoons of chili-infused olive oil. If you don’t have infused oil, use regular olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Toss the vegetables so they’re evenly coated in oil and glossy.
Spread the vegetables evenly and season generously with kosher salt. Salt helps draw out juices and encourages caramelization. If the pan becomes crowded, split the vegetables between two pans and add a little extra oil.
Roast in a preheated 500°F oven for 20–25 minutes, or until vegetables are golden and caramelized, rotating the pan halfway through.
While the vegetables roast, make the couscous. Measure 1 cup couscous and 1 cup water along with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
Bring 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a boil in a small saucepan.
Remove the pan from heat, stir in the couscous and salt, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Fluff the couscous with a fork to separate any clumps, then transfer it to a large bowl.
If timing differs slightly, you can keep the roasted vegetables in the warm oven while the couscous rests.
When the vegetables come out of the oven, finish them with a grind of black pepper.
Scrape the vegetables and their juices into the bowl with the couscous and gently toss to combine. Serve warm.
This roasted vegetable couscous is a bright, comforting side that brings a little summer to the table even on chilly days.
Enjoy!
6 servings
Roasted Vegetable Couscous
10 mins
25 mins
35 mins
Ingredients
- 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2″ moons
- 1 small yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2″ moons
- 1 medium orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 cup sun gold tomatoes
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 8 cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons chili-infused oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup couscous
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (for couscous)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C).
- On a rimmed sheet pan, arrange the prepared vegetables in a single layer. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons chili-infused oil (or regular olive oil with a pinch of red pepper flakes). If the pan is crowded, divide the vegetables between two pans.
- Season generously with kosher salt and roast for 20–25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until vegetables are golden and caramelized.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven and finish with freshly ground black pepper.
- Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, stir in 1 cup couscous and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cover and let sit 10 minutes.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork, transfer to a large bowl, and fold in the roasted vegetables and their juices.
- Serve warm and enjoy.
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