Israeli Couscous Salad with Smoked Paprika

Giada de Laurentiis

6 servings 

   

DRESSING

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

COUSCOUS

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cups (8 ounces) Israeli couscous, sometimes called pearl couscous
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups packed baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• 12 ounces grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or baby heirloom tomatoes of assorted colors, halved
• 4 ounces (about 1 cup) feta, coarsely crumbled or chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup jarred red bell peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• ¼ tsp Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the oil, vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Cook the couscous, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is just tender and the liquid is absorbed, 9 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Mix together the spinach, tomatoes, cheese, peppers, parsley, almonds and mint in a large bowl. Add the couscous and the dressing. Toss until all the ingredients are coated. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve.

My Notes: Wow, this was so good! Instead of jarred peppers, I used gardeniere. I also used less oil--1/4 cup.

MXF