Sweet Potato and Kale Couscous with Spicy Basil Tahini
on Mar 14, 2022, Updated May 20, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links! For more info, check out our privacy policy.
Sweet potato and kale couscous salad with a spicy basil tahini sauce! We love the mix of all these ingredients, and then paired with a creamy, spicy, basil tahini. 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. Looking for more sides? Check out our Lemon Haricots Verts With Crispy Shallots, and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.
Ingredients you need for this kale couscous salad
Sweet potatoes: Are roasted until super soft and crispy!
Kale leaves: You can use your favorite variety of kale, like dinosaur kale, and lacinato kale. Make sure you take the time massaging the kale, as this infuses all the flavor and takes out any earthy bitterness from the kale. It also softens it up really nicely!
Chickpeas and sunflower seeds: Toasty chickpeas and sunflower seeds add a nice crunch, creaminess to this salad!
Couscous: Pearled couscous is our grain of choice in this kale salad, but opt to use any other favorites like barley, brown rice, quinoa, farro.
For the spicy basil tahini sauce: a blend of poblano’s, jalapeños, sherry vinegar, shallots, basil, tahini, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper are blended until super creamy.
Add-ons: Feel free to add on any of your favorites nuts, like almonds, pecans, walnuts, or cashews. You an also add cheese, such as feta or goat cheese crumbled into this!
Steps to make this kale salad recipe
Roast your sweet potatoes
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet lined 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 large 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
If you do make this Sweet Potato and Kale Couscous recipe Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and through social media so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!
In addition, we can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!
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
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
