Meatball Couscous Salad
This meatball couscous salad with an orange tahini dressing is going to be my new go to salad this summer. At only 8 Weight Watchers points, 505 calories and a whopping 40 grams of protein, this will be a hit with your whole family and friends.
Ingredients for Meatball Couscous Salad
This ingredient list may seem long, but if you have a stocked seasoning pantry, you should have most of the ingredients on hand.
- lean ground beef (we used 96/10)
- bread crumbs – we prefer using panko breadcrumbs
- seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, cumin, minced onion, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper
- oil
- lemon juice
- yogurt
- orange juice
- goat cheese
- cooked couscous
What is pearl couscous?
Pearl couscous (or Israeli couscous) is quite different from traditional couscous. Pearl couscous looks like tiny round pearls, about the size of peppercorns. It has a chewy, slightly firm texture, and holds up well in salads, meal prep, soups and side dishes because it doesn’t get mushy easily. Think of it this way: traditional couscous is fluffy like rice, and pearl couscous is chewy like tiny pasta.
Tahini
Tahini is one of those ingredients that proves that a little bit of fat can go a long way when it comes to flavor. I know some people shy away from tahini because it’s not a “low calorie” ingredient, but in my opinion, it’s absolutely worth the calories. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned on my weight loss journey is that food has to taste good if you want your healthy habits to stick. Adding a small amount of tahini to a dressing can make a salad go from “I am eating this because I should” to “I can’t wait to eat this again.”
Meatball Couscous Salad
I adapted this recipe from Better Homes & Gardens Cooking for Two magazine. I am not a fan of allspice or cinnamon in meat, so changed the flavor profile, and also lightened up the orange tahini dressing that drizzles over the top. So good!
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
- 16 ounces lean ground beef (90/10 or higher)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- For the couscous salad:
- 4 cups cooked couscous
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- For the orange tahini dressing:
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 4 teaspoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish: 4 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, cumin, minced onion, crush red pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until combined, avoid overmixing, and form into meatballs using about 1.5 tablespoons of the meat mixture per meatball. I slightly press flat so they get a nice crust.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with avocado oil spray and once the skillet has preheated, add the meatballs and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.
- While the meatballs cook, make the couscous salad. In a large bowl, combine the cooked couscous, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, parsley, salt and pepper and toss until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, orange juice, tahini, garlic powder, salt and pepper until smooth. If needed, add a splash of water to reach your desired consistency.
- Divide the couscous salad evenly among 4 plates.
- Top each plate with the cooked meatballs, drizzle the orange tahini dressing over each serving of couscous, and top each plate with 1 tablespoon crumbled goat cheese.
- Serve warm or at room temperatures.
Notes
Whenever I make meatballs, after I've combined all the seasonings, I cook off a tiny bit to see if I need to adjust any of the seasonings. Usually it's salt that I am missing. If you are on the Weight Watchers program, each plate is 8 Weight Watchers points. If you count macros: 505 calories, 12 fat, 57 carbs, 5 fiber and 40 grams of protein.
Check out these meatball recipes:
Asian Meatballs:
