This Roast Chickpea and Butternut Couscous Salad is built for flavour, colour, and deep nourishment. The base begins with 400g chickpeas roasted until crisp with smoked paprika, cumin, and garam masala — a trio of spices known for their antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties. Chickpeas themselves are a powerhouse: rich in plant protein, fibre, and slow‑release carbohydrates that support steady energy and gut health.
The salad layers in butternut pumpkin, roasted until caramelised and tender. Butternut is naturally sweet and rich in beta‑carotene, a precursor to vitamin A that supports immune, skin, and eye health. Its fibre content also helps keep digestion smooth and satisfying.
Fresh elements bring brightness and crunch: cherry tomatoes, asparagus, spring onions, and a generous bed of rocket. Rocket (arugula) is a leafy green rich in folate, vitamin K, and natural nitrates that support cardiovascular health. Tomatoes add lycopene, a potent antioxidant, while asparagus contributes folate and prebiotic fibre.
The couscous is infused with vegetable stock, fresh ginger, and orange rind and juice, creating a fragrant, citrusy base. Ginger offers digestive support and anti‑inflammatory benefits, while oranges provide vitamin C to enhance iron absorption from the chickpeas and greens.
For texture and natural sweetness, the salad is finished with cranberries and pine nuts. Pine nuts deliver healthy fats, including heart‑supportive monounsaturated fats, plus magnesium and vitamin E. Cranberries add tartness and polyphenols that support urinary tract health and overall antioxidant intake.
When everything comes together — the spiced chickpeas, caramelised pumpkin, citrus couscous, fresh greens, and crunchy toppings — you get a salad that’s hearty enough for a main, nourishing enough for everyday eating, and beautiful enough for sharing.
Roast Chickpea and Butternut Couscous Salad
Ingredients
Roasted Chickpea
- 2 cans 400g chickpeas drained
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
Salad
- 1 kg butternut pumpkin peeled, seeded and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 can asparagus drained
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 oranges the rind and juice
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 2 cups couscous
- 3 spring onions sliced finely
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pinenuts
- roasted chickpeas
- bed of rocket
Instructions
Roasted Chickpeas
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (415°F).
- Line the oven tray with silicon or baking paper.
- In a large snaplock bag, silcone bag or sealed container add the spices and shake.
- Next, add the chickpeas and shake
- Spread chickpeas on an oven tray and roast for 20 – 30 mins or until crisp.
- Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
Salad
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (415°F).
- Spread pumpkin cubes on an oven pan and add ½ cup of water. Bake for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- In a large pot, add the stock and bring to a boil.
- Remove pot from the heat and add the orange rind & juice, ginger and couscous, cover and stand for 5 minutes.
- Move the couscous to a large bowl and separate it with a fork.
- Add all other ingredients to the couscous except the rocket, and gently combine.
- Serve on a bed of rocket.
