Roasted Vegetable Couscous with Mascarpone Recipe
A vibrant and hearty roasted vegetable couscous dish featuring sweet red peppers, courgettes, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic garlic roasted to perfection. Mixed with fluffy couscous and protein-rich chickpeas, and finished with a creamy mascarpone drizzle and fresh parsley, this recipe makes a wholesome and flavorful vegetarian meal perfect for a nutritious lunch or dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Vegetables
- 4 red peppers, deseeded and sliced
- 2 courgettes, halved and then cut into thick sticks
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and bruised
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- ½ tsp sugar
- 6 tomatoes, quartered
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
Couscous and Chickpeas
- 200g couscous
- 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Finishing Touches
- 50g mascarpone or full-fat soft cheese (add a little more if you like)
- Small handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Prepare and roast vegetables: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6. In a roasting tray, combine the sliced red peppers, courgette sticks, bruised garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes to start softening and drawing out their flavors.
- Add tomatoes and chilli: After 20 minutes, add the quartered tomatoes and finely sliced red chilli to the tray. Continue roasting everything together for an additional 20 minutes until the tomatoes and peppers are soft and bursting with juice.
- Prepare the couscous: While the vegetables roast, place the couscous and rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl. Pour over 200-250ml of boiling water, ensuring the couscous is just covered. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and let it stand for 10 minutes to allow the couscous to absorb the water and become fluffy.
- Fluff the couscous: After standing, remove the cling film and fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Add a little more boiling water if needed to achieve a light texture.
- Combine mascarpone with vegetables: Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and stir in the mascarpone or soft cheese until melted and creamy, coating the vegetables evenly.
- Assemble and serve: Divide the fluffy couscous evenly among four plates. Top each plate with the creamy roasted vegetables. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley for freshness before serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can sprinkle some toasted pine nuts or almonds on top before serving.
- Adjust the amount of chilli to suit your preferred spice level.
- Can be served warm or at room temperature, making it great for meal prep or picnics.
- If mascarpone is unavailable, cream cheese or ricotta can be a good substitute.
- To make this dish vegan, omit the mascarpone or replace it with a plant-based soft cheese alternative.
Keywords: roasted vegetable couscous, mascarpone, vegetarian couscous recipe, roasted peppers, Mediterranean vegetarian meal, easy dinner recipes, healthy couscous
