Mediterranean couscous salad with roasted aubergine and courgette
Colourful, zesty couscous tossed with roasted aubergine, courgette, chickpeas, olives and crumbled vegetarian feta.
This bright Mediterranean couscous salad is the sort of thing you make when you want big flavour with minimal fuss. Roasted aubergine and courgette give smoky, caramelised notes while lemon, herbs and vegetarian feta keep it fresh and tangy.
Make it for a picnic, a light midweek supper or as a showy side for grilled fish. It holds up well — flavours improve after a short chill, so it's perfect for making ahead.
Ingredients
- 300 g fine couscous
- 1 vegetable stock cube — dissolved in boiling water
- 350 ml boiling water
- 350 g aubergine — cut into 2cm chunks
- 200 g courgette — halved lengthways and sliced
- 150 g red pepper — seeds removed and chopped
- 120 g red onion — thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves — crushed for the dressing
- 400 g tinned chickpeas — drain and rinse
- 200 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 80 g black olives — pitted and halved
- 150 g vegetarian feta — crumbled
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil — divided (for roasting and dressing)
- 1 lemon — zest and juice
- 20 g fresh parsley — roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh mint — chopped
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
Equipment
- baking tray
- measuring jug
- citrus zester
Instructions
Heat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Toss the aubergine, courgette, red pepper and red onion with 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, half the sea salt and half the black pepper on a baking tray. Spread out in a single layer so pieces aren't touching.
Roast the vegetables for 25–30 minutes until soft and lightly charred at the edges, turning once halfway through.
While the vegetables roast, place the fine couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Dissolve the vegetable stock cube in the boiling water, pour over the couscous, cover the bowl tightly and leave to steam for 10 minutes.
Fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Add the lemon zest, the juice of the lemon, the remaining 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, chopped fresh parsley and chopped fresh mint; season with the remaining sea salt and black pepper and mix well.
Add the drained tinned chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, black olives and the roasted aubergine, courgette, red pepper and red onion to the couscous. Gently fold in the crumbled vegetarian feta so it stays in small pieces.
Transfer to the fridge and chill for 30 minutes to let the flavours meld, or serve straightaway at room temperature if you prefer.
Give the salad a final toss, taste and adjust seasoning, then scatter a few extra herbs and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Tips
- Salt and drain very bitter aubergine for 20 minutes before roasting if you suspect bitterness; rinse and pat dry, then proceed.
- To keep couscous fluffy, pour hot stock over it, cover and leave untouched for the full steaming time before fork-fluffing.
- Make ahead: assemble and chill for up to 24 hours; add crumbled feta just before serving if you want crisper cheese pieces.
- If your oven doesn’t brown evenly, roast aubergine on a separate tray or finish under a hot grill for 2–3 minutes, watching carefully.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2–3 days; bring to room temperature before serving or enjoy cold.
Substitutions
vegetarian feta → 100 g halloumi, diced and quickly pan-fried until golden
Noticeably differentfine couscous → 300 g pearl couscous (similar cooking method but slightly chewier texture)
Stays closetinned chickpeas → 200 g cooked butter beans or cannellini beans (drained weight)
Stays closeblack olives → capers (use 1 tbsp, rinsed)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 650
- Calories
- 21 g
- Protein
- 77 g
- Carbs
- 29 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this salad vegan?
Yes — swap the vegetarian feta for a firm marinated tofu or omit it entirely; add a little extra lemon and salt to compensate.
How should I store leftovers?
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The couscous will absorb dressing over time, so loosen with a splash of water or olive oil before serving.
Can I use dried couscous instead of fine couscous?
Fine couscous is the usual type for this salad. If using larger-grain or pearl couscous, follow the packet cooking instructions and adjust the steaming time.
Can I grill the vegetables instead of roasting?
Yes — char on a hot grill for similar smoky flavour. Watch closely so they don't burn and soften them enough to mix easily into the salad.
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