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Autumn Pearl Couscous Salad

Autumn Pearl Couscous Salad is a Mediterranean-style side dish with golden roasted butternut squash, tangy maple balsamic dressing, and chewy couscous pearls. It’s tossed with arugula, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, goat cheese, and pumpkin seeds for a colorful autumn bowl.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean-American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Autumn pearl couscous salad
  • 2 cup pearl (Israeli) couscous Cooked per package instructions.
  • 2 cup butternut squash Cubed and roasted until golden.
  • 2 cup arugula or mixed greens
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup pecans Toasted.
  • 4 oz goat cheese Crumbled.
  • 0.25 cup pumpkin seeds Toasted.
For maple balsamic dressing
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Dijon
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and prep components
  1. Cook pearl (Israeli) couscous per package instructions, then cool to room temperature.
  2. Roast butternut squash at 425°F with olive oil, salt, and pepper for 25 minutes, until golden.
  3. Toast pecans and pumpkin seeds until fragrant, then set aside to cool.
Make dressing
  1. Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine cooled couscous, roasted butternut squash, arugula or mixed greens, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans in a large bowl.
  2. Drizzle dressing over the mixture and toss gently until evenly coated.
  3. Top with crumbled goat cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds before serving.

Notes

For best texture, keep the couscous at room temperature before mixing so it doesn’t wilt the arugula. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days; add goat cheese and pumpkin seeds right before serving for the crunch to stay. Freezing is not recommended because greens and cheese can soften. If you want a dairy-light option, use a small amount of feta-style plant cheese or omit the goat cheese for a lower-calorie version.