Near East Couscous Grapefruit Salad
This Near East Couscous Grapefruit Salad is made with a base of kale and arugula, Near East® Couscous Parmesan, juicy ruby red grapefruit, fresh avocado slices, thinly sliced red onion, chopped walnuts, shaved parmesan, and a warm grapefruit honey vinaigrette.
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This post has been sponsored by Near East® . All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Happy New Year! We slid right on into the new year and I don’t know about you, but I was ready to say “bye, bye” to 2019 and “hello” to a brand new year!
Kicking things off on a hearty note with this Near East Couscous Grapefruit Salad. One of my favorite things about January is all the delicious winter citrus! And I hold a special place in my heart for ruby red grapefruits! They are hidden reminders of all things fresh, juicy and sweet when it’s cold and a little gloomy outside. Pair them with easy and delicious Near East® Couscous Parmesan and a sweet, warm grapefruit honey vinaigrette for a winter salad you will want to make again and again! Click to Buy Near East Couscous Now!
Near East® expertly blends world grains, herbs and spices for delicious flavors that are bound to excite. At the same time, the products are approachable, simple and easy to make. The Couscous Parmesan comes together in just 5 minutes on the stove top making it a perfect addition to your winter salads. I love to serve this salad warm, with warm couscous and a warm vinaigrette, it’s a meal that feels cozy for those cold winter days.
How to Make Near East Couscous Grapefruit Salad
It’s really simple, we already talked about how the couscous comes together quickly, so prepare that and set it aside so it is ready when we need it.
Start by massaging the kale with a little bit of olive oil. Kale can be tough if you don’t take a minute to massage it. This step helps to soften it, making it a bit sweeter and easier to eat. Next toss the kale with the arugula, and now you have your salad base.
Into the salad goes juicy pieces of ruby red grapefruit, slices of fresh avocado, thinly sliced red onion, shaved parmesan and chopped walnuts. Toss that all together and then add in the warm couscous and give it one good toss.
The last step before enjoying is to drizzle on the warm grapefruit honey vinaigrette (see more below).
How to Make Warm Grapefruit Honey Vinaigrette
Sweet, warm and delicious, the vinaigrette is as simple to make as the salad. Add grapefruit juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey and a pinch of salt to a small, heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Whisking, heat the mixture on the stove top over medium heat. The honey will melt and it will come to a low boil. At that point, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Pour the warm vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently. Enjoy!
Can I make Winter Couscous Grapefruit Avocado Salad ahead of time?
Maybe you would like to prep this salad and bring it to work for lunches during the week – that sounds like a great idea!
If you would like to do this there are a few recipe adaptations you should make for best results:
- Cool the couscous before adding it to the salad
- Buy small avocados and add them to each bowl of salad right before eating so they do not turn brown and mushy
- Portion out the cheese and walnuts (enough for each individual salad) and bring them in a separate container to add to the salad right before eating
- Cool the dressing completely and portion it out into small salad dressing containers, dress the salad right before eating
Near East Couscous Grapefruit Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 salads 1x
Description
This Near East Couscous Grapefruit Salad is made with a base of kale and arugula, Near East® Couscous Parmesan , juicy ruby red grapefruit, fresh avocado slices, thinly sliced red onion, chopped walnuts, shaved parmesan, and a warm grapefruit honey vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Salad
1 box Near East® Couscous Parmesan
8 cups chopped kale
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups baby arugula
1 large red grapefruit, peeled and sliced into bite sized pieces
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced thin
1/4 cup red onion, sliced thin
2 oz shaved parmesan
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
Dressing
1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
pinch of salt
Instructions
Salad
Prepare the couscous according to package instructions, set aside
Add the kale and 1 tbsp olive oil to a large salad bowl
Using clean hands, massage the kale with your fingers until is softens and reduces by about half
Add the arugula, toss to combine with the kale
Add the grapefruit, avocado and red onion slices, toss
Add the prepared couscous, toss
Top with the shaved parmesan and walnuts, toss
Dressing
Add the grapefruit juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey and salt to a small, heavy bottomed sauce pan
Put the pan on the stovetop over medium heat
Whisking, bring to a low boil
Reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes
Pour the warm dressing over the salad and serve immediately*
Notes
*If you prefer you may prepare the couscous and dressing ahead of time and serve the salad chilled
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: salad
Keywords: #wintersalad, #wintersaladideas, #grapefruitsalad, #wintercitrus, #neareastcouscous
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If you make this Near East Couscous Grapefruit Salad let me know how you like it! Leave a star rating and comment here! If you snap a photo, I’d love to see it – share it over on Instagram and tag me @sprinklesandseasalt!