Local tomatoes from QuintaMKE (@quintaMKE) taste like sweet summertime! Roasted Tomato Couscous Salad pairs perfectly with big slices of heirloom tomatoes, dressed with olive oil and fresh basil. Serve for lunch, a light dinner, or as a stunning addition to brunch with family and friends!
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
What (your ingredients):
Couscous:
1 1/3 cup Israeli couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup boiling water
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of dried thyme
Dressing for Roasted Tomato Couscous Salad:
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
10 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Pinch of pepper
Fresh Heirloom Tomatoes:
2 heirloom tomatoes
Sprinkle of seasoned salt (Crazy Jane’s Mixed Up Salt or Garlic Salt)
Pepper to taste
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
How (your directions):
Preheat oven to 400 °F.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, sauté couscous and olive oil for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.
When couscous is toasted and slightly brown, add salt and boiling water.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 12 minutes.
Add cherry tomatoes to a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and dried thyme.
Toss to combine, then roast for 10 minutes.
Once the couscous is finished cooking, turn the heat off, and add the roasted cherry tomatoes (and juices from roasted tomatoes!).
Add the couscous dressing ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, basil leaves, pepper) and stir to combine. Set aside.
Slice the heirloom tomatoes into large slices and place onto a large platter.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with olive oil, and top with fresh basil.
Pour the Roasted Tomato Couscous to the platter next to the fresh heirloom tomato slices.
Enjoy warm, room temperature, or cold!
Why (the science): Roasted tomatoes are high in lycopene, which helps reduce the risk of prostate cancer.