This easy vegan couscous salad combines roasted vegetables, crunchy walnuts, sweet raisins, and a bright maple‑orange tahini dressing. It’s a light, healthy option that works well as a make‑ahead lunch, a side dish, or a simple main when paired with your favorite protein.

This vegan couscous salad is built on whole wheat couscous and a mix of roasted vegetables—red onion, carrots and French green beans. Walnuts add crunch, raisins bring a touch of sweetness, and fresh chives lift the flavors. The dressing, a simple blend of olive oil, tahini, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, orange zest and a hint of nutmeg, ties everything together with a bright, slightly nutty finish.

Aside from chopping the vegetables, the recipe comes together quickly. The vegetables roast until caramelized and tender while the couscous is prepared on the stovetop. Once everything is mixed and dressed, the salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled—making it versatile for seasons and meal plans.

Make it as a light main by adding a protein—grilled tofu, chickpeas or seared tempeh are all good options—or serve it as a colorful side dish for spring and summer gatherings.

The following photos show the finished salad, the maple‑tahini orange dressing, and the roasted vegetables ready to be combined.

How To Make Vegetable Couscous Salad

Begin by preparing the vegetables: slice the red onion, trim and halve the green beans, and cut the carrots into sticks. Toss the vegetables with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, then spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until they are caramelized and tender.

While the vegetables roast, bring the measured water to a boil, stir in the whole wheat couscous, cover and let it sit off the heat for a few minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork, then transfer it to a large bowl and add raisins, chopped walnuts and the slightly cooled vegetables.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, tahini, orange zest, a pinch of nutmeg and a little salt. Pour the dressing over the couscous mixture, toss gently to combine, and finish with fresh chives. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Tips & Tricks For This Vegan Couscous Salad

1. Start the vegetables first. Roast them while you prepare the couscous, dressing and other mix‑ins to save time and serve everything warm.
2. If you want a heartier main, top the salad with a protein such as baked tofu, roasted chickpeas or grilled tempeh. As a side, this salad is perfectly balanced on its own.
3. Vegetable swaps work well—use asparagus, zucchini or bell peppers if you prefer. Choose vegetables that roast in roughly the same time to keep the texture consistent.
4. Regular (semolina) couscous can be used in place of whole wheat; follow the package directions for best results. For a gluten‑free version, substitute cooked quinoa or millet.
5. Adjust the dressing to your taste: add more maple syrup for sweetness, more vinegar for brightness, or a little more tahini for a richer, creamier texture.

How To Store

Allow the salad to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It keeps well for up to four days. Serve cold, at room temperature, or briefly warmed if you prefer.

Additional Vegan Recipes You Might Enjoy

• Cranberry Quinoa Salad
• Herbed Zucchini and Corn Orzo Salad
• Pesto Tabbouleh Summer Salad
• Cucumber Quinoa Salad with Cherries
• Fall Quinoa Salad
• Blueberry Quinoa Salad

If you try this recipe, please leave a rating or note a comment below—I’d love to hear how you served it and any tweaks you made.

Vegan Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Yield:
about 5 to 6 servings

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
25 minutes

Total Time:
45 minutes

This easy vegan couscous salad blends roasted vegetables, whole wheat couscous, walnuts and raisins with a maple‑tahini orange dressing. It’s bright, textured and ideal for make‑ahead lunches or as a healthy side.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch sticks
• 8 ounces french green beans, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 1 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup raw walnuts, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• pinch of ground nutmeg

Instructions

For the salad:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Add the red onion, carrots and green beans to a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to combine then spread in an even layer.
3. Bake for about 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the veggies are tender. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
4. While the veggies are roasting, add the water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then stir in the couscous. Cover, remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Fluff the couscous with a fork, then add to a large bowl along with the raisins, walnuts and slightly cooled veggies. Toss gently to combine.

For the dressing:

1. In a small bowl, vigorously whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing until smooth. Pour into the bowl with the couscous and toss to combine.
2. Taste and adjust the salt / pepper as desired, then serve garnished with the fresh chives.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 346Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 291mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 5gSugar: 13gProtein: 6g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.