Couscous is one of my all time favorite pastas. They are tiny balls of semolina and while there are several different sizes of couscous, today, we are using Israeli or pearl couscous, which is the larger and more texturous (while that may not be a real word, you get what I am going for, right?) version and I totally love it.
This Mediterranean couscous salad is a great side dish that is simple to make, can be made ahead and can be served warm, room temperature or chilled. It pairs beautifully with everything from poached fish to a grilled steak and is super customizable.
Let’s get started…
Begin by cooking a cup of dry pearl couscous according to the manufacturers instructions. This usually calls for about 1 1/2 cups of water, but I highly suggest using stock instead to add more flavor and potential protein (if you decide to use chicken of beef stock) and adding a tablespoon of butter into the mix.
Once your couscous is cooked, transfer it into a bowl. Add a little drizzle of olive oil and toss the couscous around. The olive oil will help the couscous not clump together as it cools.
While the couscous cools, chop about 2 cups of good ripe tomatoes and a small english cucumber. Very thinly slice about a quarter cup of onion (you can use white, red or yellow onion, whatever you like), crumble a quarter cup of feta and chop up a quarter cup of fresh parsley.
Optional additional add-ins – you can also add some sliced olives, capers, chickpeas, almonds or even swap the parsley out for another herb you love or some roughly chopped spinach.
Add everything into the bowl with the couscous and give it a good mix.
In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil with 2 tablespoons of white or apple cider vinegar, 2 cloves of finely minced garlic, 1/4 cup of finely grated parmesan, a tablespoon of Greek yogurt, a teaspoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite dried herb mixture.
Drizzle the dressing over the bowl and mix until everything is evenly distributed.
This Mediterranean couscous salad is just wonderful. It is full of great flavors and textures. The couscous is buttery and adds a nice chewiness to the mix. The tomatoes add a pop of juicy sweetness. The onions and dressing add a tangy, acidity and the feta adds just the right amount of creamy and salty.
This side dish is great year round and with so many different main courses. Check out some of my favorite suggestions below…
Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups of pearl couscous, cooked (1 cup dry)
- 2 cups of vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small English cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup of onion, very thinly sliced (white, red or yellow onion)
- 1/4 cup of feta, crumbled
- 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
Mediterranean Dressing
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of white or apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup of parmesan, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon of plain greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried herb mixture
Instructions
- Cook a cup of dry pearl couscous according to manufacturer’s directions
- Once the couscous is fully cooked, add a tablespoon of olive oil and mix thoroughly
- Set the couscous aside to cool while you chop the other ingredients
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl
- Add the chopped tomato, cucumber, onion, feta and parsley along with the dressing into the couscous and mix until everything is evenly distributed
- Serve warm, room temperature or chilled
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