Mediterranean Couscous Salad (Print version)
Fluffy couscous combined with fresh vegetables, feta, olives, and a zesty lemon dressing for a bright, easy dish.
# What you need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup couscous
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables & Herbs
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
07 - ½ red onion, finely diced
08 - ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
09 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
→ Cheese & Olives
11 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
12 - ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
→ Dressing
13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
18 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
19 - Salt to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, combine couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Pour in boiling water, cover tightly, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - Whisk extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, black pepper, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, parsley, mint, feta, and olives to the cooled couscous. Pour dressing over the mixture.
04 - Gently toss all ingredients to combine evenly. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It comes together faster than you'd think, leaving you time to actually enjoy your meal instead of being stuck at the stove.
- The feta and olives do all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so even basic seasoning tastes restaurant-quality.
- It tastes even better the next day when everything gets to know each other, making it perfect for meal prep.
02 -
- Couscous left uncovered while it steams will become tough and dry, so don't get distracted and skip the covering step no matter how small it seems.
- Adding the dressing while the couscous is still warm helps it absorb all that flavor, but adding it to hot couscous can make it mushy, so wait for room temperature.
- This salad actually improves after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors marry together, so making it ahead is a feature, not a workaround.
03 -
- Using a microplane to mince your garlic makes it disappear into the dressing instead of creating harsh little chunks that bite back.
- Letting the salad sit for thirty minutes before eating allows the flavors to stop being separate ingredients and start being a unified thing—patience is the secret ingredient here.