Mediterranean Couscous Salad (Printable)
Fluffy couscous with Mediterranean vegetables and a sweet-spicy lemon vinaigrette. Ready in just 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Couscous & Vegetables
01 - 1 cup uncooked couscous
02 - 1¼ cups boiling water
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - ½ cup cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
08 - ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped (optional)
→ Hot Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon honey
14 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Place couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the couscous, cover tightly, and let steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified and smooth.
03 - To the bowl of fluffed couscous, add the halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, sliced Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and mint. Fold together gently until evenly distributed.
04 - Pour the hot honey lemon vinaigrette over the couscous mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.
05 - Refrigerate for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, or serve immediately at room temperature. Garnish with additional fresh herbs or extra crumbled feta before serving if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The vinaigrette walks a perfect line between sweet heat and bright acidity, making even plain couscous taste exciting.
- It comes together faster than delivery and looks stunning on any plate without requiring a single complicated technique.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting step after pouring boiling water over the couscous because uncovering it early leads to gummy undercooked grains.
- Tossing the salad while the couscous is still slightly warm helps it absorb the vinaigrette more deeply than if you wait until everything is cold.
03 -
- Use a fork rather than a spoon to fluff couscous because the tines separate the grains without compressing them.
- Taste the vinaigrette before adding it and trust your palate over the recipe since lemons and hot pepper flakes vary wildly in intensity.