Roast vegetable couscous bowl
Roast courgette, pepper and thin carrot pieces with chickpeas, then fold through fluffy couscous. Different cuts help the vegetables finish together.
An original Recipe From Fridge editorial recipe idea. Timings are estimates; check doneness as described, not by the clock alone.
Ingredients
- 150g dry couscous
- 1 courgette, cut into 2cm chunks
- 1 pepper, cut into 2cm chunks
- 1 large carrot, cut into 5mm half-moons
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 240g drained)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 180ml boiling vegetable stock, or couscous packet quantity
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
Method
- Prepare even cuts
Wash the vegetables and remove pepper seeds. Cut carrot thinner than the other vegetables because it is denser. Drain and rinse chickpeas, then pat them dry so excess water does not flood the roasting tray.
- Roast the vegetables
Heat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C fan. Toss courgette, pepper, carrot and drained chickpeas with oil and herbs on a large tray. Spread in one layer and roast for 30–35 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until carrot is tender and edges are golden.
- Hydrate the couscous
Near the end, put couscous in a heatproof bowl and add boiling stock at the packet ratio. Cover for its standing time, usually 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Check the roasted vegetables
Test a carrot piece with a knife before combining: it should be tender at its centre, not just browned outside. If needed, return the tray to the oven while keeping the couscous covered.
- Combine
Fold the hot vegetables, chickpeas and tray juices into the couscous. Add lemon juice and divide between two bowls.
Make it work with what you have
- Use ordinary couscous, not giant couscous. Do not cut the carrot as large as the courgette: it takes longer to soften.
- If your tray is crowded, use two trays and swap their oven positions halfway through.