Sophiavictoriavegan
Insane Barahat Spiced Couscous Bowl!
A perfect combination of caramelized sweet potatoes, roasted chickpeas, chewy dates, fresh mint and parsley. This Baharat Spiced Couscous Bowl has become one of my favorite meals to make when I want something satisfying and full of flavor, while still being healthy and fresh!
Perfect for meal prep, quick lunches, or healthy dinner. Plus, it’s packed with fiber, fresh herbs, and warming spices!
Why You’ll Love This Couscous Bowl
- Packed with plant-based protein and fiber
- Full of warm spices & Middle Eastern-inspired flavors
- Perfect for meal prep
- Fresh and satisfying
- Easy to customize with extra veggies or greens
Ingredients
For the Couscous Bowl
- 1 cup toasted pearl couscous
- 7–10 dates, chopped
- 5 radishes, sliced into half moons
- Handful fresh parsley, chopped
- Handful fresh mint, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, roasted
- 1 can chickpeas, roasted
Lemon Zaatar Dressing
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp zaatar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Warm Spice Blend
(This makes extra — store in an airtight jar with your other spices.)
- 1 tbsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp cumin
- 3/8 tsp ground cloves
- Pinch of nutmeg
You’ll only need about 1 tablespoon of the spice blend for this recipe.
How to Make It
1. Roast the Sweet Potatoes & Chickpeas
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Cube the sweet potato, (I try to do just bigger than the size of the chickpeas) then place in a bowl with the drained and rinses chickpeas. Toss with a dash of olive oil, salt, pepper, and about 1 tablespoon of the spice blend. Transfer to a baking sheet.
Roast for 25–35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are slightly crispy.
2. Cook the Couscous
Cook the toasted pearl couscous according to package instructions. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and let sit with the lid still on the pot until ready to use.
3. Chop the Veggies & Fresh Herbs
Wash and slice the radishes into half moons, mince all of the herbs, and then pit and chop the dates into small pieces.
4. Make the Dressing
In a large bowl (use the bowl to add everything to it at the end), whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, zaatar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Assemble the Couscous Bowl
Add the couscous to the large bowl, along with the roasted sweet potatoes & chickpeas, the chopped dates, radishes, parsley, and mint.
Toss everything to combine. taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Add to your Couscous Bowl
- Add arugula or kale for extra greens
- Top with toasted pumpkin seeds, pistachios, or pine nuts for crunch
- Serve warm or chilled
Storing the Baharat Spiced Couscous Bowl
This bowl stores beautifully in the fridge for up to 5 days, making it perfect for meal prep. The dressing soaks into the couscous beautifully and does not get soggy like most salad/bowls do when in the fridge!
A Couple Notes
The homemade spice blend is one of my favorite parts of this recipe. I highly recommend making a larger batch to keep on hand, you will want to make this recipe more than once! – if you don’t have all of the ingredients to make it, you could always find a Moroccan or middle eastern spice blend with similar ingredients!
If you make this recipe, it’s one of those meals that tends to convert even non-plant-based eaters. It’s colorful, satisfying, layered with texture, and feels soooo nourishing.
Baharat Spiced Couscous Bowl (with mint & dates!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup toasted pearl couscous
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 7-10 dates pitted
- 5 radishes
- handfull fresh parsley
- handfull fresh mint
Lemon Za'atar Dressing
- 1 zest of 1 lemon
- 1 juice of whole lemon
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp za'atar spice blend
Baharat Spice Blend - you only need 1 tbsp for this recipe, but I always make a bulk jar!
- 1 tbsp allspice
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 ¼ tsp coriander
- 1 ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉
- Chop sweet potato into small cubes, a little bigger than the size of the chickpeas
- Add sweet potato and chickpeas(drained & rinsed) to a bowl, add a drizzle of olive oil, 1 tbsp of the Barahat Spice Blend, & pinch of salt. Transfer to a baking sheetBake for 25 minutes - or until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked
- Cook the couscous according to the package. Fluff with a form when done and let sit covered until ready to use
- Chop the veggies:Slice the radishes into half moonsChop the herbsChop the dates into small pieces
- Make the Lemon Za'atar dressing:Zest the whole lemon into a large bowl, then squeeze all the juice into the bowl. Add the 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp za'atar spice blend, and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust. it should be very lemony
- Finish by combining everything in the large bowl.Add the couscous to the bowl, then the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas, the herbs, dates, & radishes. Toss to combine and distribute everything.Enjoy!
