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5 from 6 votes

Mediterranean Couscous Salad Recipe

An easy couscous salad packed with Mediterranean flavors. This couscous salad recipe comes together in only 15 minutes and makes an amazing side dish.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 423kcal
Author: Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

  • 1 cup couscous See Note #1
  • 1 ½ cup boiling water
  • 1 cup kalamata olives pitted
  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • ½ English cucumber See Note #2
  • ½ cup parsley chopped
  • ½ cup green onion chopped
  • ½ cup red onion chopped
  • 1 cup artichoke hearts in olive oil cut into smaller pieces

Couscous Salad Dressing

  • ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 lemon juice of
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Place the couscous in a large bowl. Pour boiling water on it and stir using a fork. 
  • Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it sit for ten minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, slice kalamata olive in half and set aside. 
  • Slice tomatoes into small pieces and set aside. 
  • Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and cut each half into three pieces lengthwise. Cut the cucumber into ⅓ inch pieces. 
  • Once ten minutes has passed, fluff the cooked couscous using a fork and make sure the grains are not stuck together. 
  • Add in the olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, parsley, green onion and artichoke hearts. Mix well using two large spoons. 

Couscous Salad Dressing

  • Mix all the ingredients in a bowl using a whisk. (See note #3) 
  • Pour the dressing over the couscous salad and mix well so all ingredients are incorporated. 
  • Chill the salad in the fridge for about 30 minutes. 
  • Serve cold. 

Notes

  • Use fine couscous and not pearl couscous for this recipe. 
  • You can also use 2 Persian or mini cucumbers.
  • You can place all the ingredients for the couscous salad dressing in a jar, secure the lid and shake very well for a minute or two. 
  • You can make the couscous ahead of time for this salad and simply mix it with chopped vegetables the day you're planning to serve it.
  • I like to chop the vegetables quite small so every bite contains almost all the vegetables. However, I only cut the olive in half.
  • This couscous Mediterranean salad is perfect for barbecues and potlucks. Make a big batch and take it to the party, everyone loves it.
  • If you like spicy couscous salad, add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the salad dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1311mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1687IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg