Roasted Carrot and Harissa Couscous Jars

These lunch jars layer couscous, chickpeas, and roasted carrots with a cool lemon yogurt dressing. Keep the dressing at the bottom and greens at the top so the layers stay separate until you shake or tip the jar into a bowl. Use mild harissa first, then add more after tasting.

Serves: 4 jars
Prep: 18 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch sticks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mild harissa paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, divided
• 1 cup instant couscous
• 1 cup boiling vegetable broth or water
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss carrots with olive oil, harissa, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread on a rimmed pan and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until tender and browned.
2. Put couscous in a heatproof bowl with remaining salt. Pour over boiling broth or water, cover, and stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. Stir yogurt and lemon juice together. Add a teaspoon of water if the dressing is too thick to spoon.
4. Divide the yogurt dressing among four jars. Layer couscous, chickpeas, cooled carrots, parsley, and spinach on top.
5. Seal and refrigerate promptly. At lunchtime, tip into a bowl and toss, or shake the jar gently if there is room.
6. Finish with sesame seeds just before eating.

Variations

Use roasted sweet potato or parsnip instead of carrots, cutting pieces to a similar size. Replace chickpeas with white beans, or use lemon tahini instead of yogurt. For more heat, stir a little harissa into the yogurt, tasting as you go.

Storage and reheating

Keep sealed jars refrigerated and use within 3 days. Let the roasted carrots cool before layering, and keep jars chilled during transport. Pack sesame seeds separately to preserve their crunch; no reheating is needed.

Read the lunchbox prep plan for a busy week and meal planning for a busy week for more ways to plan lunch. Add this recipe to the Lucru Home meal planner and list any missing ingredients before shopping.