Pearl Couscous Salad
Mediterranean Pearl Couscous Salad is a fresh and healthy vegetarian summer recipe that is loaded with protein from the chickpeas and full of colorful vegetables.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups pearl couscous
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Persian cucumbers diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes diced or julienned
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous, stir, cover, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook covered for 15 minutes, or according to package instructions, until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, and black pepper until well combined. Add the cooled couscous on top along with the cucumbers, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, parsley, and mint. Toss gently until everything is evenly combined.
- Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour if you prefer it chilled.
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
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 842mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 13mg
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