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cooking up a storm at the edge of the world

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Three Bean Couscous Salad

Published on February 9, 2013 • Last updated October 21, 2024 by Elizabeth
three-bean-couscous-salad

This recipe was given to me years ago by a dear friend and mother of 4 who is well experienced with feeding a large family on a budget. It makes a perfect side dish for a summer barbecue and is a handy dish to bring along to a gathering of friends when you know there are going to be vegetarians present.

I find a supermarket tin of three bean salad comes into its own with this dish. With a combination of cannellini, flageolet and adzuki beans mixed in with the sweet and savoury ingredients children and adults alike get a healthy dose of fibre and nutrients in a dish which only takes minutes to prepare. You could, if you were so inclined, go about the long process of soaking and boiling your own beans, but I find a tin much more convenient with my busy lifestyle.

Couscous is a remarkably easy grain to prepare too – as Bintu points out in her how-to post How to Cook Couscous. It should be a staple in every storecupboard, I believe!

Leftovers make an excellent packed lunch for work.

Three Bean Couscous Salad
A healthy, quick and easy to prepare side dish.
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 150 grams couscous
  • 240 ml vegetable stock
  • 1 red pepper, chopped into 1 cm squares
  • 1 400 gram tin 3 bean salad in water
  • 50 grams sultanas
  • fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a small frying pan.
2. Saute onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Stir hot vegetable stock into the couscous. Cover and leave to sit for five minutes.
4. Rinse and drain the tin of beans well.
5. Separate the grains of couscous with a fork and add the onion, pepper, beans, sultanas and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper, if desired.
6. Will keep for 2-3 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 15 mins Yield: Serves 6

 

Category: Carbohydrates, Couscous, Recipe, Salad

About Elizabeth

Solivagant. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

Previous Post:Homemade Nutri-Grain Bars
Next Post:Loch of Gonfirth, Shetland

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amy

    January 19, 2024 at 9:21 am

    Great! I’ve made it a few times and it’s really good as a side with basically anything. I think I may add some other fresh vegetables (tomato, cucumber) next time and see how it pans out. Very cheap to make too which is a plus. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Jen

    April 5, 2019 at 9:16 pm

    I am trying to replicate a veggie wrap recipe I have enjoyed in the past and I think your recipe looks the closest. I’m going to wrap this up in tortillas with greens and grated carrot and serve at a potluck.

    Reply
  3. Andrew Petrie

    March 23, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    Couscous has always been a favourite of mine and this would make a wonderful addition to a picinic.

    Reply
  4. Natally

    May 4, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    Trying to get the kids to eat more beans, its an uphill struggle

    Reply
  5. Maya Russell

    March 17, 2015 at 8:57 am

    I definitely want to make more salads like this. Love red onion in salads too. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  6. Paul Wilson

    February 15, 2015 at 4:22 am

    Looks amazingly healthy.

    Reply
  7. Debbie Skerten

    November 13, 2014 at 3:36 pm

    Sounds and looks fabulous. I’m going to have to try it, but not put the raisins in. My stomach doesn’t like raisins!

    Reply
  8. KATE SARSFIELD

    July 19, 2014 at 6:57 pm

    Love 3 bean salad but never thought of ‘padding it out’ with couscous so thank you!

    Reply
  9. sue hodges

    June 24, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    i bought a tin of 3 bean salad a while ago and then couldn’t think what to do with it – problem now solved!

    Reply
  10. 1080 John

    July 8, 2013 at 11:19 am

    in the Great Lakes area we grill even through the winter time so anytime is good for a barbecue I will try your recipe but I have to improve my math skills to change from grams to ounces lol

    Reply
  11. Lisa

    February 23, 2013 at 5:51 pm

    Easy and delicious. Thanks so much for sharing with MLLA.

    Reply
  12. Angela Darroch

    February 9, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    My kind of salad. I’d be quite happy with a bowl of this as my main meal. Great photo.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      February 9, 2013 at 7:46 pm

      Thank you, I’m quite pleased how it turned out. 🙂

      Reply

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Cooking up a storm at the edge of the world

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Welcome to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary, Scotland’s most northerly award-winning food blog.

I’m based in the wild and remote Shetland Islands, where I’ve been sharing my adventure-fuelling recipes since 2011.

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“Never underestimate the power of your own story. Life may have taken unexpected turns, but it’s never too late to weave new threads of adventure into your tapestry. Keep spinning those yarns, my friend.

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