This Greek couscous salad gives you a fresh, satisfying 15-minute meal with fiber-rich lentils, crisp vegetables, creamy feta, and bold Greek-inspired flavors.
If you love fresh Greek-inspired salads, try our Greek lentil salad, Greek bean salad, or Greek chickpea salad next.
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Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
This Greek couscous salad is fresh, colorful, and satisfying, with fluffy couscous, tender lentils, crisp vegetables, Kalamata olives, and creamy feta tossed in a simple oregano dressing. 🥗
Louise and I love how it turns simple Mediterranean ingredients into a complete meal that feels light and refreshing but still substantial enough for lunch or dinner.
This isn’t a traditional Greek recipe, but our easy riff on the fresh, tangy flavors we love in Greek cuisine. 🌿 The lentils add plant-based protein and fiber, while tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper bring plenty of fresh vegetables to every serving.
Best of all, it takes about 15 minutes to put together and fits beautifully into a balanced, Mediterranean-style eating pattern. Make it for a quick dinner, pack it for lunch, or refrigerate it for later—the flavors get even better as they mingle. ☀️
P.S. If you love easy couscous recipes, try our couscous salad, pearl couscous salad, or vegetable couscous next.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Couscous: Regular couscous keeps this Mediterranean couscous salad quick and fluffy. Substitute whole-wheat couscous or quinoa for a different texture.
- Lentils: We use canned brown or green lentils for convenience; drain and rinse them well before adding. You can also use lentils cooked from scratch. Avoid red lentils, as they become too soft and won’t hold their shape in the salad.
- Cherry tomatoes: Sweet and juicy tomatoes add freshness and color. Substitute grape tomatoes or diced ripe tomatoes.
- Bell pepper: Green or yellow bell pepper adds crunch. Substitute red or orange pepper for a sweeter flavor.
- Cucumber: Adds a cool, crisp bite. English, Persian, or regular cucumber all work.
- Red onion: Adds sharpness to this couscous salad with feta. Substitute shallots, green onions, or sweet onion.
- Kalamata olives: Bring a salty, briny Greek-inspired flavor. Substitute green olives or your favorite Mediterranean olives.
- Feta: Adds creamy, salty richness. Substitute goat cheese or a plant-based feta.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Forms the rich base of the dressing. A good-quality everyday olive oil works beautifully.
- Red wine vinegar: Adds bright acidity. Substitute apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
- Dijon mustard: Helps emulsify the Greek couscous salad dressing. Yellow mustard works too.
- Honey: Balances the acidity. Substitute maple syrup or omit it for a sharper dressing.
- Dried oregano: Gives the dressing its characteristic Mediterranean aroma. Italian seasoning works in a pinch. You can even use chopped fresh Italian parsley.
How to Make Greek Couscous Salad
1. Prepare the couscous
Add the couscous, a pinch of salt, and the optional turmeric to a bowl.
Pour in the boiling water, stir with a fork, cover with a plate, and let sit for 5 minutes.
When ready, fluff the couscous with a fork, gently scraping through the grains to separate them.
2. Make the dressing
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
This simple oregano vinaigrette gives the salad its fresh, tangy flavor.
3. Marinate the lentils
Drain and rinse the lentils, then shake off as much water as possible.
Stir them into the dressing and let them marinate while you chop the vegetables. This gives the lentils time to soak up the dressing.
4. Toss and serve
Quarter the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell pepper, thinly slice the red onion, and add them to the lentils with the Kalamata olives.
Add the fluffed couscous and crumbled feta, then toss gently until well combined.
Serve your Greek-inspired salad right away, or cover and refrigerate it for later. It’s an easy make-ahead salad, and the flavors meld beautifully as it sits.
Serving Suggestions
- For an easy lunch: Serve a generous bowl on its own. The couscous, lentils, vegetables, and feta make it satisfying without feeling heavy.
- For meal prep: Portion into containers for grab-and-go lunches during the week. It’s delicious cold or at room temperature.
- With extra protein: Serve with grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, or baked tofu.
- For cookouts and potlucks: Bring it as a fresh alternative to pasta and potato salads. It travels well and can be made ahead.
- Alongside grilled food: It’s a refreshing side for burgers, black bean burgers, grilled chicken, fish, or vegetables.
- Make it a bigger bowl: Serve over chopped romaine or mixed greens and add avocado for an extra-filling lunch.
- For a Mediterranean spread: Pair with hummus, pita, roasted vegetables, falafel, or stuffed grape leaves and let everyone build their own plate.
Tips
- Use the right couscous-to-water ratio: Stick to equal parts couscous and boiling water. Too much water can make the couscous soft and sticky.
- Let the couscous steam undisturbed: Cover it for the full 5 minutes so the grains absorb the water evenly.
- Fluff well with a fork: Gently scrape and separate the grains rather than stirring them with a spoon. This keeps the couscous light and fluffy.
- Cool the couscous slightly: Give it a few minutes before mixing so the warm couscous doesn’t soften the cucumber and tomatoes or melt the feta.
- Drain the lentils really well: Extra water can dilute the dressing and make the salad watery.
- Marinate the lentils first: Toss them with the dressing while you chop the vegetables. They’ll absorb more of the oregano and vinaigrette flavor.
- Cut the vegetables evenly: Small, similar-sized pieces make it easier to get couscous, lentils, vegetables, olives, and feta in every bite.
- Tame a strong red onion: If your onion is particularly sharp, soak the slices in cold water for a few minutes, then drain well.
- Taste before adding more salt: Kalamata olives and feta are already salty, so adjust the final seasoning only after everything is mixed.
- Refresh leftovers before serving: Give the refrigerated salad a good toss; a small splash of red wine vinegar or olive oil can wake the flavors back up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This salad is great for making ahead because the couscous and lentils have time to absorb the dressing. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until serving.
Absolutely. Canned lentils are convenient, but cooked brown or green lentils work just as well. Let them cool and drain them well before adding. Avoid red lentils because they become too soft.
Yes. Regular couscous is the quickest option, but whole-wheat couscous works well too. Pearl couscous has a larger, chewier texture and requires cooking according to the package directions.
Yes. Simply leave it out or use a plant-based feta. The olives and oregano dressing still give this lentil couscous salad plenty of flavor.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give the salad a good toss before serving.
Freezing is not recommended because the cucumber, tomatoes, and feta can lose their texture and become watery after thawing.
More Satisfying Mediterranean Salad
- Lemon Orzo Salad
- Piccata Chickpea Salad
- French Lentil Salad
- Greek Farro Salad
- Turkish Shepherd’s Salad
- Greek Potato Salad
- Lemon Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Bulgur Salad
If you try this Greek Couscous Salad Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Greek Couscous Salad (With Lentils and Feta)
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous dry + 1 pinch salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric optional
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 can lentils or 1½ cups cooked brown or green lentils, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 cup bell pepper any color – diced
- 1½ cups cucumber diced
- ½ red onion chopped
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta or more to taste
For the Dressing
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste + black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the couscous: Add 1 cup couscous, a pinch of salt, and optional turmeric to a bowl. Pour in 1 cup boiling water, stir with a fork, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.Fluff with a fork to separate the grains.
- Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
- Marinate the lentils: Drain and rinse 1 can lentils, shaking off as much water as possible.Stir them into the dressing and let them marinate while you chop the vegetables.
- Toss and serve: Quarter 2 cups cherry tomatoes, dice 1 cup bell pepper and 1½ cups cucumber, and thinly slice ½ red onion.Add them to the lentils with ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, couscous, and ½ cup crumbled feta. Toss gently until well combined.Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate for later.
Notes
- Couscous → Whole-wheat couscous or quinoa.
- Lentils → Canned or home-cooked brown or green lentils. Avoid red lentils.
- Cherry tomatoes → Grape tomatoes or diced ripe tomatoes.
- Bell pepper → Green, yellow, red, or orange bell pepper.
- Cucumber → English, Persian, or regular cucumber.
- Red onion → Shallots, green onions, or sweet onion.
- Kalamata olives → Green olives or other Mediterranean olives.
- Feta → Goat cheese or plant-based feta.
- Extra virgin olive oil → Good-quality everyday olive oil.
- Red wine vinegar → Apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
- Dijon mustard → Yellow mustard.
- Honey → Maple syrup or omit.
- Dried oregano → Italian seasoning or chopped fresh Italian parsley.
- Use equal parts couscous and water: Too much water makes couscous soft and sticky.
- Cover for 5 minutes: Let the couscous steam undisturbed.
- Fluff with a fork: Gently separate the grains to keep them light and fluffy.
- Cool slightly: Let the couscous cool before adding it to the vegetables and feta.
- Drain lentils well: Extra water can dilute the dressing.
- Marinate the lentils: Toss them with the dressing while you chop the vegetables.
- Cut vegetables evenly: Similar-sized pieces give you a little of everything in each bite.
- Tame strong onion: Soak it briefly in cold water, then drain well.
- Salt at the end: Feta and olives are already salty, so taste first.
- Store and refresh: Refrigerate leftovers, then toss with a splash of vinegar or olive oil before serving
Nutrition
Don’t Lose This Recipe
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Made this today, it was delicious and very healthy.
The picture has kidney beans, not lentils
Kjempenydelig oppskrifter
Mange takk, Eva!!!
Rigtig god helg. Mvh,
Louise
Good