Mediterranean Couscous Salad

Couscous salad in a large bowl - Mediterranean easy salad for summer

5 from 40 votes

Mediterranean Couscous Salad is a fresh and healthy vegetarian summer recipe that is loaded with protein from the chickpeas and full of colorful vegetables.

Course Salads

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 330kcal

Author Yumna Jawad

Equipment

Ingredients

Salad

1 ½ cup pearl couscous
2 cucumbers Persian, diced
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes diced or julienned
½ cup can chickpeas rinsed/drained
2 tablespoons feta cheese crumbled
2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
¼ cup parsley chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped

Dressing

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove crushed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of 2 cups salted water to boil. Add couscous, stir, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large shallow bowl to cool.
Prepare the dressing for the salad by whisking together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic clove and Dijon mustard. Stir to combine, then pour over the cooled couscous.
Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta cheese, pine nuts, parsley and mint on top, and toss gently to combine.
Enjoy at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about up to 5 days in the fridge. If you're using tomatoes though, they may soften by the 5th day.

Make Ahead Tips: You can make the dressing up to 3 weeks in advance and double or triple the recipe to have it on hand for other salads or even as a marinade.

Sourcing: You can find the pearl couscous at Middle Eastern markets, natural-foods stores or even in large supermarkets, often located with other Middle Eastern ingredients or with other grains like quinoa.

Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However the salad itself is very adaptable so feel free to add or change any of the ingredients. If you can't find pearl couscous, you can substitute regular couscous or with a small pasta shape like orzo.

Nutrition