Ready in just 30 minutes, this yummy vegan Curried Israeli Couscous Salad is fantastic! It's both savory and sweet filled with bites of tart cranberries along with rich cashews. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, lunches, or served as a main dish atop greens.
I love Israeli couscous! It's a tiny, tender pasta that is a bit chewy. There is just something about it that has me craving more. And I have learned in my time as a chef that I'm not alone in this love. My clients seem to love it too.
Clients also seem to love curried anything! Especially curry mayo! But then again who doesn't love curry mayo!?!
So when you add some curried vegan mayo to this fluffy little pasta along with some rich cashews, tart cranberries, and fresh peas it turns into a mouthful of yum! It's the perfect marriage of savory with a touch of sweet.
But I'm going to flat out tell you that the Israeli couscous in this recipe is not cooked in the traditional way. It's just simply boiled. I know, I know maybe I did it some injustice somewhere in the world. Trust me I've spent too much time considering how I may have offended some couscous loving community out there. As a chef these things keep me awake at night. It's silly, but it's just how my culinary mind works!
Yet, for this recipe boiling the Israeli couscous works perfectly fine. And once it's covered in the curry mayo sauce it's so delicious that no one would even think twice.
Ingredients Needed
You only need 10 ingredients for this recipe!
- Israeli Couscous- Also called pearl couscous. It can be found in almost any market. I get mine from Trader Joe's.
- Curry Powder
- Vegan Mayo- Any type of vegan mayo will work.
- Lemon Juice- Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be too bitter.
- Raw Whole Cashews- I like to use raw cashews, but roasted would work too. Just be sure to use unsalted cashews.
- Dried Cranberries
- Frozen Green Peas- The peas will quickly defrost on their own once added to the salad.
- Green Onions- Also known as scallions.
- Cilantro- Always use fresh cilantro for the best flavor.
- Salt- I used sea salt.
How To Make Curried Israeli Couscous Salad
This salad is so quick and easy to make it will become one of your go-to salads for BBQs and potlucks.
To start, you boil the Israeli couscous for about 5 to 7 minutes to reach an al dente texture. Then you drain the couscous, rinse it with cool water, and put it in a large bowl.
Next, you mix the vegan mayo, curry powder, lemon juice, and salt together in a small bowl before adding it to the cooked couscous. Then you fold in the cashews, cranberries, green peas, and green onions. Now, taste the salad for salt and season as needed.
To finish, top with fresh chopped cilantro and it's ready to serve!
How To Store & Variations
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a week. If you make the salad ahead of time for a party or event wait to add the cashews, cranberries, peas, and green onions until the day you plan to serve it.
For variation, you could easily use raisins in place of cranberries. Almonds can be used as an alternative to cashews. If want to spice it up you could add some diced jalapeno. You can basically add anything you like to the couscous and curried mayo mixture.
You will love this vegan Curried Israeli Couscous Salad because it's...
- Can't get enough curry yum
- Savory and sweet
- Quick and easy to make
- Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, lunch, or dinner
I hope you enjoy this recipe! I have been making it for years now. It's one of my top requested dishes for catered BBQs and events.
More BBQ & Potluck Recipes
- Yummy Thai Peanut Noodles
- Easy Vegan Black Bean Burgers Recipe
- Vegan Ceviche with Hearts of Palm
- The Best How To Make Guacamole Recipe
- Peanut Butter S'mores Bars (Gluten Free)
If you try this recipe please let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment and rating. You can also hashtag #danceswithknives with a photo of your creation on Instagram where you can find me @dances_with_knives.
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Curried Israeli Couscous Salad with Cashews & Cranberries
Ingredients
- 8 oz Israeli Couscous (also called pearl couscous)
- ½ cup vegan mayo
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice (start with 2 tsp)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup raw whole cashews, unsalted
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup frozen green peas
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Bring 5 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the Israeli couscous and cook at medium high for about 5 to 7 minutes. Check at 5 minutes. You want it to be done, but al dente. Then drain the couscous and rinse with cold water. This is not the traditional way of cooking Israeli couscous, but works well for this recipe.
- While the couscous is cooking, in a small bowl mix together the vegan mayo, curry powder, lemon juice, and salt.
- Put the cooked couscous in a large bowl. Then add the curry mayo and mix to combine.
- Now, fold in the the cashews, cranberries, green peas, and green onions. Combine well. The peas will quickly defrost prior to serving.
- Taste for salt and season as needed. You may also add more lemon juice at this point if you like. The lemon is there to bring out the curry flavor not overpower it.
- To serve, top with fresh chopped cilantro.
- This dish can be served as a side , on top of lettuce to make a yummy salad, or as a main served with a vegetable.
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