Toasted Israeli Couscous with Vegetables and Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Just made it and threw in a handful of crumbled Feta. It's over the top!

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I loved it. I even added some red pepper flakes to bring up the heat a little.

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I have made this recipe many many times and it is always an adventure. I read the reviews this time because I didn't have any couscous and wanted to use Quinoa and wanted to see if anyone had tried that. I see there's been some issue with the Israeli Couscous (hehe-- I bet you could use any grain you want--I'm using the Quinoa today and am sure it will wonderful. I have added grilled eggplant and always add some feta. I am also going to try the almonds-a suggestion from the last reviewer. Like I tell all my friends when I pass along a recipe--it's only a guide--do your own thing!

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Made this for the first time to take to an informal dinner party. I've never used Israeli couscous before and absolutely loved the texture and golden color after toasting. I'm not a fan of red bell peppers or yellow summer squash so I used sundried tomatoes and a bit more zucchini. I also added sliced spicy/sweet almonds to give it crunch. The fresh basil made the whole salad pop. Everyone loved it! I think adding goat, feta or gorgonzola cheese would be fabulous as well.

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My parents and brother who HATE couscous really adored this. Its quick, easy and you can make it ahead! I made this for a barbeque and everyone loved the clean, fresh citrus flavors of this side dish. Its a good basis for creating other flavor profiles. You can vary up the type of vinegars and herbs to pair well with whatever your serving, or whatever suites your personal palette.

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I can't help but wonder if those who did not enjoy this recipe (like Jason below who did apparently not know Israeli couscous is a specific type of couscous made it without the correct ingredient. Israeli couscous is also called ptitim, and is a much larger grain than typical couscous. It tastes more like a pasta to me and is much larger in size and are individual pellets. I would imagine using other couscous would result in a much different flavor as the flavors coat the grain differently. The specification for Israeli couscous was not the Food Network's attempt to suggest the origin of the food (couscous of all varieties has roots in nearly every region of the world
They were specifying the type of food itself so that home cooks could find the correct ingredient at the store. It is like telling you to get angel hair noodles instead of spaghetti noodles; simply a modification that will impact the flavor and texture of the dish. Hope that helps those who have not made this recipe yet! Israeli couscous is delicious, and this recipe is a good opportunity to give it a taste if you are only familiar with smaller grained couscous.

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This is a wonderfully balanced dish chock-full of tangy, delicious (and nutritious goodies. It is a warm weather dish, but thankfully we've been unseasonably warm this spring and I've already served it twice. For those who don't know the difference, Israeli couscous is a much larger pasta shape than the traditional couscous most of us are familiar with and cooks up much bigger, almost chewy. Toasting it makes all the difference in this recipe! From what I've read, it did originate in Israel, hence the name. In any event, I think most people consider couscous, hummus, tabbouleh and falafel regional, not ethnic, dishes. None of us are born knowing everything, so we to make sure we learn what we are talking about before expressing uninformed opinions, expecting apologies where none are needed and fueling misunderstanding.

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Bobby,
I am a big fan, but can't help but wonder how you started labeling couscous as Israeli? it is authentic of the Northern Africa region of Morocco Tunisia and Algeria. I am sure you are aware of the Arab/Israeli conflict. Israel has been adopting numerous Arab Middl Eastern cuisines as its own, i.e. Hummos, Tabuleh, Falafel etc..

I hope you recognize the mistake and make an effort to clarify it.

Sincerely

Jason

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Stop with the childish comments.......

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This recipe was such a delicious surprise. I made this for a side dish for dinner with my roommates tonight and we absolutely loved it. In fact, my roommates are very excited and looking forward to having it for lunch tomorrow. I did tweak it a tad...only used 1/2 cup olive oil, added toasted pine nuts, and 1 clove of minced garlic (what is food without garlic. Thanks Bobby for an amazing recipe!!!!!