There you are… with your big spread of juicy grilled chicken, some of your favorite roasted veggies, and a glass that’s full of your beloved bubbly. All you’re missing is the Cherry-On-Top Salad. Not only is this fresh, summery dish named for the juicy cherry tomatoes sprinkled in, but also for the fact that the fluffy couscous, nutty chickpeas, crispy cucumbers, and creamy feta come together to make what your meal was missing! More marvelous than you can even imagine, the Cherry-On-Top Salad will make every dinnertime that much more delicious!
Ingredients
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved, divided
- extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
- sea salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 sprigs thyme, leaves only, plus more, to taste
- 1 cup Israeli couscous
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, plus more, to taste
- 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3 –Place 2 cups of the cherry tomatoes cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the oil.
Step 4 –Sprinkle the tomatoes with the salt, the pepper, and the extra thyme leaves.
Step 5 –Roast the seasoned tomatoes until they are shriveled around the edges, about 2-3 hours.
Step 6 –In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the couscous according to the package directions.
Step 7 –Drain the water and let the couscous cool.
Step 8 –In a large bowl, add the oil, the lemon juice, the garlic, the remaining leaves from the 6 thyme sprigs, the salt, and the pepper and stir to combine.
Step 9 –Add the cooled couscous to the sauce mixture and toss to coat.
Step 10 –Add the remaining raw tomatoes, the roasted tomatoes, the chickpeas, the paprika, 1/4 cup of the basil, the cucumbers, and the feta to the couscous and toss to combine.
Step 11 –Garnish with the extra basil leaves and serve.
