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For a quick, easy, and refreshing side dish, try my Mediterranean Couscous Salad! Made using simple ingredients including flavorful sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil, and ready in just 35 minutes. Serve it as a side dish for a picnic or a summer BBQ, and you will savor every bite!
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Couscous Summer Salad
With how hot it gets here in Florida, you might think I'm bluffing when I say I look forward to summertime - but it's true! So many fresh vegetables are in season, and oh, the cookouts. My family and I are big on summer BBQs, so you can bet I'm out manning the grill almost every day.
We tend to grill heavier meats, like hearty steaks, pork butts and whole chickens, so when it comes to side dishes, I like to serve up something light and refreshing that will pair well with every protein. That's what makes this couscous summer salad a perfect choice!
It's fluffy, airy, and so fresh. The summery, bright blend of flavors from chickpeas, cucumber, fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil and feta cheese makes this dish utterly irresistible. Not to mention the vinaigrette dressing with celery juice!
Try it out as a side dish for your next potluck, picnic, or BBQ - or just as a side dish for dinner. I guarantee you will savor every bite of my Mediterranean couscous salad!
Veggie Couscous Salad Ingredients
- Couscous
- Chickpeas
- Cucumber
- Cherry tomatoes
- Olives
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Feta cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
- Olive oil
- Celery
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Couscous Salad
- Wash and chop celery into small pieces. Add to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the celery juice into a jar. Discard the pulp.
- In the jar containing the celery juice, add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Close lid and shake well to mix.
- Wash cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Chop cucumber into small pieces.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add minced garlic and stir 1 minute until fragrant. Add drained chickpeas and paprika. Stir and cook 5 minutes until heated through.
- Bring water to a boil in a separate pot. Add couscous and stir. Cover and remove from heat, then let sit for 5-10 minutes until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
- In a large bowl, add cooked couscous, chickpeas, olives, chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil leaves.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and mix well to combine. Top with crumbled feta cheese. Serve at room temperature, or chilled!
Couscous Salad Recipe Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- If you want to make the salad ahead of time, store the vinaigrette separately. Add it to the salad just before serving. This helps keep the salad crisp and fresh.
- Stir or shake the vinaigrette before using after storing.
- When ready to enjoy, serve the salad chilled or at room temperature. If you want to chill the salad before serving, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours beforehand.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork before adding it to the salad. This helps separate the grains and prevents it from clumping.
- You can make this a vegan couscous salad by swapping out the feta cheese for vegan feta, or leaving it out entirely.
- For added nutrition and extra flavor, you can serve couscous salad over a bed of greens, such as arugula or spinach.
- Other great add-ins are sliced avocado or toasted nuts.
- Dried basil can be used instead of fresh basil. Add it to the vinaigrette or sprinkle it over the salad before serving.
- Taste for salt and pepper before serving and adjust as necessary.
Couscous Salad Recipe FAQ
Quinoa makes a great substitute for couscous. Simply cook it according to the package directions on the stove, or see my Instant Pot Quinoa recipe for a simple, quick way to serve Mediterranean salad with quinoa instead of couscous.
Couscous is a versatile side dish, and pairs well with a variety of flavors, especially those found in Mediterranean cuisine. Pair couscous with everything from roasted vegetables and chicken to BBQ. You can also add cooked meat directly to couscous salad; try chopped chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
If you'd like to try a cheese other than feta, try crumbled goat cheese, grated Parmesan, or cubed mozzarella.
Salad Side Dishes
- Mediterranean Bean Salad
- Spinach Salad Recipe
- Fennel Orange Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
- Greek Potato Salad
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Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Equipment
- 1 Blender or food processor for blending celery
- 1 fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth for straining celery
- 1 jar with lid for mixing vinaigrette
- 1 pan or skillet for cooking chickpeas
- 1 Sharp knife for chopping vegetables
- 1 pot with lid for cooking couscous
- 1 Large mixing bowl for mixing salad
Ingredients
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 can chickpeas 15 oz. can, drained
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 medium cucumber
- ¾ cups cherry tomatoes about 10-15 small cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup couscous
- ½ cup green olives
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1¼ cup fresh basil chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Wash and chop celery into small pieces. Add to a blender and blend until smooth.1 stalk celery
- Using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the celery juice into a jar. Discard the pulp.
- In the jar containing the celery juice, add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Close lid and shake well to mix.2 Tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper
- Wash cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Chop cucumber into small pieces.1 medium cucumber
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.¾ cups cherry tomatoes
- In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add minced garlic and stir 1 minute until fragrant. Add drained chickpeas and paprika. Stir and cook 5 minutes until heated through.1 can chickpeas, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon paprika
- Bring water to a boil in a separate pot. Add couscous and stir. Cover and remove from heat, then let sit for 5-10 minutes until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.1 cup couscous
- In a large bowl, add cooked couscous, chickpeas, olives, chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil leaves.½ cup green olives, ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1¼ cup fresh basil
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and mix well to combine. Top with crumbled feta cheese. Serve at room temperature, or chilled!½ cup feta cheese
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- If you want to make the salad ahead of time, store the vinaigrette separately. Add it to the salad just before serving. This helps keep the salad crisp and fresh.
- Stir or shake the vinaigrette before using after storing.
- When ready to enjoy, serve the salad chilled or at room temperature. If you want to chill the salad before serving, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours beforehand.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork before adding it to the salad. This helps separate the grains and prevents it from clumping.
- You can make this a vegan couscous salad by swapping out the feta cheese for vegan feta, or leaving it out entirely.
- For added nutrition and extra flavor, you can serve couscous salad over a bed of greens, such as arugula or spinach.
- Other great add-ins are sliced avocado or toasted nuts.
- Dried basil can be used instead of fresh basil. Add it to the vinaigrette or sprinkle it over the salad before serving.
- Taste for salt and pepper before serving and adjust as necessary.
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