Pearl CousCous Salad Recipe

Easy pearl couscous salad that works as a side dish, vegetarian meal, or make-ahead lunch.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 245kcal

Add the cous cous and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large saucepan.
8 ounces uncooked pearl couscous
Toast over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the pearls start to get some color.
Add water and salt.
1 ¾ cup water, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, especially as the water evaporates, until all of the water has evaporated.
Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and kosher salt.
2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Add the cous cous to the dressing and toss to combine.
Stir in the feta, chickpeas, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint, and salt and pepper. Give everything a good stir to combine.
4 ounces feta , 15 ounce can chickpeas, 1 cup kalamata or green olives, 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, 2 cups peeled and diced cucumber, ¼ cup finely diced red onion or shallot, ½ cup chopped curly leaf parsley, ¼ cup chopped fresh mint, kosher salt and black pepper
Sprinkle with chopped pistachios just before serving.
2-4 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Couscous: Be sure to choose pearl couscous, not couscous.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice has the best flavor.
Feta: I like to use blocks of feta and crumble it for the salad.
Olives: Kalamata olives have stronger, saltier flavor, and green olives are milder.
Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes will work well.
Pistachios: The pistachios add great crunch to the salad. You can skip them if need be.
Nutrition values are estimates.