• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Quite Good Food
  • About
  • Sign up
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Sign up
  • Contact
  • Privacy policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Broad bean and Israeli couscous salad

    12 November 2015 by Amber |

    • Facebook
    • Print
    Jump to recipe

    This light and fresh flavoured salad showcases young broad beans in all their glory.

    Broad bean and Israeli couscous salad.

    I've never grown broad beans before, despite the fact I love them. I love growing my own vegetables but broad beans take up a lot of garden space, and let's be honest, they're a bit of a labour of love in terms of podding. Each bean pod generally has somewhere between 3-6 broad beans which each have to be removed by hand.

    Broad beans, ready to be podded.

    Broad beans inside their pod.

    Luckily I have a few people in my life who are happy to gift me the odd supermarket bag full. Which is just enough to make a salad. Every time I pod broad beans and survey the pile of empty pods I admit to being just a little bit shocked at nature's uncharacteristic inefficiency.

    Which brings me to child labour. It's totally justified when faced with a mountain of broad beans, right?

    My big girl, podding broad beans.

    Broad beans are popular in many countries and cuisines, and also known as faba, field, bell or tic beans. They're best eaten while young and tender, when their flavour is sweet and mild and their texture light. Older broad beans (and frozen broad beans) are best double podded - that is blanched, then popped out of each individual skin (which can be a bit tough) to reveal the softer, brighter interior. I enjoy them in salads or falafel, however I'm sure there are as many uses for broad beans as there are cultures which prize them.

    This salad is a simple but classic combination of broad beans with the bold flavours of olive oil, lemon and mint. I tossed them with Israeli couscous, basically to make them go further! Though the couscous is delicious in its own right, too.

    This is definitely a salad for broad bean lovers. If you're on the fence, then to be honest this probably isn't the one for you as they are absolutely front and centre with nowhere to hide. You could use this as a side dish with virtually any protein, and I think it would be particularly smashing with some barbecued halloumi, or a salty feta (either dairy based or a vegan almond feta). You could also add in a handful of yellow and red cherry tomatoes and turn the whole thing into a colourful fiesta on your plate.

    Broad bean and Israeli couscous salad.

    Broad bean and Israeli couscous salad

    This light and fresh flavoured salad showcases young broad beans in all their glory.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep time: 5 minutes
    Cook time: 20 minutes
    Total time: 25 minutes
    Course: Salads and dressings
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 177kcal
    Author: Quite Good Food

    INGREDIENTS

    • 2 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 ½ cups Israeli couscous (also known as pearl couscous)
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 clove garlic crushed
    • 2 cups broad beans
    • Zest and juice of one lemon approx. 3-4 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 2-3 sprigs of mint approx. ½ cup of loose mint leaves

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Heat 2 teaspoon of olive oil in a saucepan. Add couscous, stir to coat then toast over medium heat for a few minutes.
    • Add oregano, garlic, a good grind of salt and pepper, and 1 ¾ cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until almost all of the liquid is gone. Cover and set aside for another 7 minutes, then remove lid and cool.
    • Stir 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest and juice through the couscous.
    • Blanch broad beans in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then run under cold water to cool immediately. Add to the couscous.
    • Finely slice some of the mint and stir through, reserving the rest for garnish.
    • Adjust seasoning to taste.
    • Serves 8 as a side dish, or 4 as a more substantial part of a meal.

    RECIPE NOTES

    Prep time doesn't include podding the broad beans!

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.7g | Protein: 6.6g | Fat: 3.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Fiber: 4.4g
    Tried this recipe?Mention @quitegoodfood or tag #quitegoodfood!

    Nutrition Facts
    Broad bean and Israeli couscous salad
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 177 Calories from Fat 30
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3.3g5%
    Saturated Fat 0.5g3%
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Carbohydrates 28.7g10%
    Fiber 4.4g18%
    Protein 6.6g13%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Broad bean and Israeli couscous salad.

    Broad bean and Israeli couscous salad.

    Related

    « Tofu and cauliflower fried rice
    Tomato tarte tatin »
    • Facebook
    • Print

    Primary Sidebar

    About me

    About me

    Join the mailing list

    Click here to sign up for email updates.

    Finalist - Best Food Website 2019

    The Foodies - NZ Food Media Awards.

    Popular recipes

    Easy home made five seed crackers
    Basic okonomiyaki
    Mushroom, onion and lentil pie
    Crispy kumara cakes
    LSA: Linseed, sunflower seed and almond meal
    French-style lentils
    Mexican black bean hand pies
    Broad bean falafel with tahini sauce

    Footer

    Finalist - best food website 2019

    The Foodies: NZ Food Media Awards 2019 logo.
    • Privacy policy
    • Sign up for emails
    • Contact us

    Copyright © 2022 Quite Good food

     

    Loading Comments...