Ancho roasted shrimp couscous salad made with ancho chile seasoned shrimp, fluffy couscous, queso and radishes tossed in a citrus dressing served over leafy greens.
Quick, convenient, and simply delicious Texas shrimp is one of my favorite ingredients to cook. Not only are shrimp delicious, but they can be ready in under 30 minutes, making a quick and tasty dinner a snap.
Today I want to share with a recipe for ancho roasted shrimp couscous salad.
Succulent ancho chile rubbed shrimp is roasted in the oven then combined with couscous, drizzled with a tangy citrus dressing.
Toss in cubed queso ranchero, thinly sliced radishes and serve over leafy greens. My ancho chile roasted shrimp couscous salad is an amazing summer lunch idea or even better when hosting.
For this recipe I used Israeli couscous. As you can see in the photo the shape is much larger.
What is Israeli Couscous?
Israeli couscous is a type of pasta but consists of granules that are much larger – about the size of small pearls. Made from wheat flour and semolina, Israeli couscous has a ball-like shape and is toasted, rather than dried, after the granules are formed. This process gives Israeli couscous a nuttier flavor and chewy bite that adds an unexpected touch to regional recipes. From Escoffier
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
1 lime- zest and juice
2 lemons, zest and juice
salt
ancho chile powder – Ground chile ancho is made from grinding dried ancho chiles. Ancho Chiles have a deep rich flavor and mild to medium heat. Their flavor is somewhat sweet and a little raisin like. Ancho chiles are most used in Mexican cooking and is a staple in pozole and tamales.
oregano
olive oil
large shrimp, deveined, shelled
orange juice
balsamic vinegar
honey
pepper
Israeli couscous
broth – vegetable, chicken or beef will work in this recipe
queso ranchero or queso fresco – Find queso ranchero at the cheese counter. Mild and buttery it crumbles easily, substitute with queso fresco if you can’t find it.
radishes
leafy greens – a mix of greens you prefer. For this recipe I used spinach and kale
cilantro
HOW TO MAKE ANCHO ROASTED SHRIMP COUSCOUS SALAD
To prepare shrimp. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easier clean up.
In a bowl whisk together lime zest, lime juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, ancho chile powder, oregano, and olive oil.
Toss in shrimp to coat well. Place shrimp on baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp is plump and opaque.
While shrimp is roasting make the dressing: whisk together orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey and olive oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
To make couscous: In a saucepan bring broth and salt to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover tightly with a lid, and remove from heat.
Let the couscous steam for 5 minutes. Use a fork to fluff the couscous and break up any clumps and place in a large bowl.
Add roasted shrimp, cubed queso and sliced radishes. Stir to combine. Add half of dressing, stir to coat. Place in fridge until ready to serve.
When ready to serve combine leafy greens and cilantro divide evenly between four plates.
Spoon couscous shrimp salad over fresh greens and serve with additional salad dressing.
MAS SHRIMP RECIPE IDEAS
broiled shrimp with chipotle crema
- For ancho roasted shrimp:
- Zest of 1 lime plus juice
- Zest of 2 lemon plus juice
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 pounds large shrimp deveined, shelled
- For dressing:
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- For couscous:
- 1½ cups Israeli couscous
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For salad:
- 6 ounces queso ranchero or queso fresco cubed
- 6 radishes thinly sliced
- 4 cups leafy green
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
-
To make roasted shrimp: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a bowl whisk together lime zest, lime juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, ancho chile powder, oregano, and olive oil.
-
Toss in shrimp to coat well. Place shrimp on baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp is plump and opaque.
-
While shrimp is roasting make the dressing: whisk together orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey and olive oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
-
To make couscous: In a saucepan bring broth and salt to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover tightly with a lid, and remove from heat. Let the couscous steam for 5 minutes. Use a fork to fluff the couscous and break up any clumps and place in a large bowl.
-
Add roasted shrimp, cubed queso and sliced radishes. Stir to combine. Add half of dressing, stir to coat. Place in fridge until ready to serve.
-
When ready to serve combine leafy greens and cilantro divide evenly between four plates.
-
Spoon couscous shrimp salad over fresh greens and serve with additional salad dressing.
Serves: 4
Leave a Reply