Balsamic Roasted Tomato, Baby Spinach & Giant Couscous Salad

What you’ll need

Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

  • 250 grams cherry or baby plum tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • A generous sprinkle of sea salt

Giant Couscous

  • 150 grams giant couscous (dried weight)
  • 100 grams baby spinach, washed and patted dry

For the dressing

  • 1 tbs French mustard (or 1 teaspoon mustard powder)
  • 2 tbs honey
  • 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • Cooking time

    40 mins

  • Serves

    2

How to make it

  1. Weigh out and prepare the ingredients for the roasted tomato and couscous steps and place the baby spinach into a large bowl.
  2. Preheat your oven to 180 °C (fan).
  3. Lay the tomatoes out on a lined baking tray, cut side up.
  4. Combine the balsamic vinegar and vegetable oil, and drizzle over the tomatoes.
  5. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a little sea salt and cook for 20-30 minutes until the tomato halves have wrinkled, partially collapsed and taken on a darker colour.
  6. Once the tomatoes are ready, remove them from the oven and place in the bowl over the baby spinach. Stir through very gently so that the heat of the tomatoes wilts the spinach, but the tomatoes don’t break apart. Set aside.
  7. Shortly before the tomatoes come out of the oven, cook the giant couscous according to the packet instructions. Once it’s ready, drain and set aside.
  8. Make the salad dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small jam jar with tight-fitting lid and shaking hard.
  9. Alternatively, whisk together in a bowl. Taste and adjust the balance of vinegar and sugar as you prefer.
  10. Combine the couscous, roasted tomatoes and spinach together and drizzle with dressing just before serving. Use only as much dressing as you like, the rest can be stored in the fridge for a few days to use on another salad.