This Mediterranean couscous salad is truly one of the best you’ll ever make. It’s packed with fresh herbs, briny olives, and crisp vegetables, making it the perfect side dish for just about any meal.

 

There isn’t a single day in our home that a tasty salad isn’t on the table. Every day, we make a big salad with fresh vegetables, and the dressing is usually a simple mix of olive oil and lemon juice with a sprinkle of sumac. On more elevated days, we go for a homemade dressing like my popular Mediterranean salad dressing.

Some of our go-to salads include fattoush, Middle Eastern tahini salad, tabouli, classic Greek salad this delicious Mediterranean couscous salad. It’s simple, ready in just 15 minutes, and packed with so much flavor.

A Couscous Salad You’ll Make On repeat

This couscous salad is packed with all kinds of delicious vegetables and tossed in a bright, zesty dressing. Similar to my Turkish bulgur salad and orzo salad, it really leans on fresh herbs and vegetables. It also keeps so well in the fridge, which I love, because it means I can make a large batch and enjoy it through the week.

It also comes together in no time and happens to be vegan and super versatile. You can easily make it a lunch or dinner by adding some protein. I usually go with chicken or canned chickpeas, but beans or even steak would work just as well.

So, What Exactly Is Couscous?

Couscous is made of semolina which is the hard cracked wheat made from the first crushing in the milling process. In the olden days, it was made by hand and it required a lot of labor and long hours of drying in the sun. Couscous is made from the mixture of semolina and water comes in two forms of fine and pearl couscous.

It’s very easy to cook couscous at home. This super fine pasta is very popular in Northern Africa especially Morocco.

You can use couscous right away or refrigerate it for up to 3 days and use it in different recipes. Couscous on it’s own doesn’t have a special flavor so you can easily add flavors to it using salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, sumac and herbs.

Is there a difference between couscous and bulgur? The main difference between couscous and bulgur is that couscous, like pasta, is made from semolina whereas bulgur is basically cracked wheat. Both items contain gluten and cannot be used in gluten-free recipes.

What Goes Into A Mediterranean Couscous Salad?

• Couscous: Make sure to use fine couscous for this recipe. You can cook it a day in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to make the salad.
• Olives: I like using pitted Kalamata olives but you can also use green olives.
• Artichokes hearts: Preferably the marinated kind.
• Cucumber: I love Persian cucumbers for this recipe since they are very crisp, but English cucumber works, too.
• Tomato: Cherry, Roma or Campari tomatoes would work for this couscous salad. It’s best to use firm tomatoes.
• Red onion: If it tastes too strong, simply soak the chopped red onion in ice water for 10 minutes to mellow it out. Alternatively, you can use shallots.
• Herbs: You need parsley, cilantro, mint and green onions. If all is not available, use one or two of the herbs mentioned.

As for the dressing, you need the following:

• Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil gives all the flavor to this salad.
• Lemon juice: To have a bright and zesty salad, use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Garlic: A couple cloves of garlic go a long way when it comes to salad dressing.
• Spices: You need sumac, salt and pepper.

How To Make Couscous Salad

Make the couscous

Couscous is unbelievably easy to prepare. The ratio of couscous to water is 1 to 1 1/2. Make sure you don’t use too much water otherwise there will be excess water in the couscous which would make it mushy and not fluffy. 

To make couscous:

• Place 1 cup dry couscous in a large bowl and pour 1 1/2 cup boiling water into the bowl.
• Lightly stir the couscous, cover and let it sit for ten minutes.
• Using a fork, fluff the couscous very well and make sure it’s not stuck together.

Make and assemble the salad

While the couscous is cooling, chop the kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and the herbs. Make the dressing as well by mixing the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and spices in a small bowl or a mason jar.

Once the couscous is cooled completely, fluff it using a fork. Add in the chopped vegetables and herbs and give it a good stir. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Jazz It Up!

This easy homemade couscous salad is so versatile and you can make it your own with just a few additions. Here are some of my suggestions:

• Grilled chicken or leftover chicken
• Grilled vegetables
• Chickpeas
• Bell peppers
• Dried fruit such as raisins and apricots
• Nuts such as almonds, toasted pine nuts and walnuts. 

Serving Suggestions

This couscous salad makes a great side dish for many Mediterranean dishes such as Mediterranean chicken, garlic chicken and Greek meatballs.

What To Do With The Leftover?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It keeps really well and tastes just as good later in the week. Just give it a good toss and, if needed, add a bit more olive oil and lemon juice to freshen it up.

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

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