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Sweet Potato and Kale Couscous with Spicy Basil Tahini
Now, this combo is everything! Sweet potato and kale couscous with a spicy basil tahini sauce, is just beautiful! It is nourishing, it is filled with flavor, and it comes together in no time.
I love the mix of all these ingredients, and then paired with a creamy, spicy, basil tahini – it is creamy goodness! You can mix all the ingredients up like a side couscous salad OR you can keep everything separate, pour over your sauce and just have it like a bowl.
Ingredients you need
- Sweet potatoes
- Dinosaur/lacinato kale
- Chickpeas
- Couscous
- Paprika
- Turmeric
- Sunflower seeds
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
For your spicy basil tahini sauce
- Poblanos
- Jalapeños
- Sherry vinegar
- Shallots
- Basil
- Tahini
- Olive oil
- Cold water
- Salt and pepper
Steps to make this recipe
Roast your sweet potatoes
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet tray with parchment, add on your cubed sweet potatoes and season with salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon paprika powder. Mix and roast until fork tender – about 35-40 minutes.
Next, stem and roughly chop your kale
Add in a skillet with olive oil, salt, and pepper on medium heat until glistening and wilted – about 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and season with a squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside.
Now, chickpeas and peppers time!
About 15-20 minutes before your sweet potatoes are done, add your chickpeas and chopped jalapeno + poblano on a sheet tray with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon paprika. Keep them on separate sides, and roast for 15-20 minutes.
After you add in your chickpeas and peppers, get started on your couscous according to the package instructions, season with salt, pepper, turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Cook throughout.
Make your sauce
When your chickpeas, peppers and sweet potatoes are done, remove from the oven. In a small bowl, take your tahini and mix well with 1/4th cup cold water so it is creamy, saucey and not super thick/tough.
Transfer your roasted peppers to a blender with vinegar, shallot, basil, tahini, olive oil, cold water and salt and pepper. Blend until creamy and emulsified. Adjust with more water and olive oil as needed to reach your desired consistency. It should be a thicker sauce and not like a watery dressing consistency.
Assemble!
In a bowl, add your couscous, sweet potatoes, kale, crispy chickpeas, finish with sunflower seeds and a pinch of pepper. Toss in your spicy basil tahini sauce. Either eat as a bowl like this, or toss together to make one big couscous salad. Enjoy!
More salads you’ll love:
- Crispy Grilled Potato Salad with Horseradish Sauce
- Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Yogurt Ranch
- Beets with Burrata, Hazelnuts and Green Goddess Vinaigrette
Sweet Potato and Kale Couscous with Spicy Basil Tahini
Ingredients
For your couscous
- 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes cubed
- 1 bundle of dinosaur/lacinato kale
- 1 can chickpeas drained and dried
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- small handful of sunflower seeds
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
For your spicy basil tahini sauce
- 1 poblano seeded and roughly chopped
- 2 jalapenos seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 shallot
- 1 cup basil
- 1/3rd cup tahini
- 1/4th cup olive oil
- 1/4th cup cold water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Roast your sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet tray with parchment, add on your cubed sweet potatoes and season with salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon paprika powder. Mix and roast until fork tender – about 35-40 minutes.
- Next, stem and roughly chop your kale. Add in a skillet with olive oil, salt, and pepper on medium heat until glistening and wilted – about 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and season with a squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside.
- Now, chickpeas and peppers time! About 15-20 minutes before your sweet potatoes are done, add your chickpeas and chopped jalapeno + poblano on a sheet tray with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon paprika. Keep them on separate sides, and roast for 15-20 minutes.
- After you add in your chickpeas and peppers, get started on your couscous according to the package instructions, season with salt, pepper, turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Cook throughout.
- Make your sauce. When your chickpeas, peppers and sweet potatoes are done, remove from the oven. In a small bowl, take your tahini and mix well with 1/4th cup cold water so it is creamy, saucey and not super thick/tough.
- Transfer your roasted peppers to a blender with vinegar, shallot, basil, tahini, olive oil, cold water and salt and pepper. Blend until creamy and emulsified. Adjust with more water and olive oil as needed to reach your desired consistency. It should be a thicker sauce and not like a watery dressing consistency.
- Assemble! In a bowl, add your couscous, sweet potatoes, kale, crispy chickpeas, finish with sunflower seeds and a pinch of pepper. Toss in your spicy basil tahini sauce. Either eat as a bowl like this, or toss together to make one big couscous salad. Enjoy!
