Our pearl couscous salad is a healthy Mediterranean recipe with Israeli couscous, fresh veggies, feta, and chickpeas.
For more Mediterranean Diet recipes, try our Greek chickpea salad, shirazi, Mediterranean salad, and white bean salad.
A Healthy Mediterranean Couscous
This Mediterranean couscous recipe is excellent for meal prep, potlucks, barbecues, packed lunches, and everyday meals.
Since Louise and I love easy salad recipes (and our readers love them too), this couscous is inspired by two of our most popular dishes: chickpea salad and Moroccan couscous.
Like our farro salad, rice salad, and orzo salad, it’s packed with fresh veggies, umami-rich sun-dried tomatoes, and mustard dressing.
We love topping the salad with sumac onions and serving it alongside a thick yogurt tahini sauce and crumbled feta.
Israeli couscous, pearl couscous, or Ptitim, is a type of pasta developed in Israel in the 1950s; it’s easy to prepare and it cooks in less than 10 minutes.
Despite its English name, pearl couscous or Ptitim – is not a type of couscous but small pasta balls made with durum wheat semolina flour and water, similar to Sardinian fregola.
You’ll love pearl couscous because it cooks quickly—about 7 minutes in boiling water, and has a slightly chewy and satisfying texture.
With this recipe, we want to celebrate the colorful flavors of the Mediterranean Diet, and hopefully, you feel inspired to join us!
Ingredients
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
- Pearl couscous: Also known as ptitim or Israeli couscous, this is the main ingredient in the salad. Cook it in water or vegetable broth for extra flavor. You can substitute it with farro, orzo, barley, rice, fregola, or Moroccan couscous.
- Chickpeas: They add protein and heartiness. Use canned or home-cooked. Substitute with black beans, edamame, or lentils.
- Bell pepper: We use green, but red or yellow work just as well.
- Cucumber: Any type works—English, American, or Persian.
- Scallions: Their mild flavor is perfect here. You can swap them with shallots or red onions.
- Cherry tomatoes: Add sweetness and juiciness. Plum, date, or other small tomatoes are great alternatives.
- Fresh herbs: Flat-leaf parsley is our go-to. You can also use fresh mint, basil, dill, or oregano.
- Olives: We like taggiasche or kalamata olives for their rich, briny flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Choose the ones packed in oil for best taste. You can also use marinated artichoke hearts.
- Feta: Optional but recommended. Crumble it it.
- Dressing: A zesty mix of olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, maple syrup or honey, mustard, garlic, cumin or sumac, salt, and pepper.
How to make Israeli couscous salad
1. Cook the Couscous
Boil pearl couscous in salted water or vegetable broth for 7 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. While it cooks, start prepping your veggies. Once done, drain the couscous, transfer it to a large bowl, and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Don’t worry if the pearls clump—they’ll loosen when tossed with the dressing.
2. Prep the Veggies
Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell pepper, slice the spring onions, rinse the chickpeas, chop the sun-dried tomatoes, drain the olives, and finely chop the parsley. Add all the vegetables to the bowl with the cooled couscous. Optionally, crumble in the feta.
3. Make the Dressing
Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, grated garlic, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the couscous and vegetables, then toss until everything is well coated and flavorful.
4. Taste & Serve
Adjust the seasoning with more salt or lemon if needed. Serve as a main or side dish. For extra flavor, top with sumac onions, jalapeños, and toasted pine nuts. It’s also delicious with a quick yogurt-tahini sauce on the side.
Finally, pearl couscous salad is also excellent on a Mezze platter with other small Mediterranean dishes, such as hummus, falafel, muhammara, baba ganoush, and tzatziki.
Tips
- Cook the couscous al dente for a chewy texture—boil for 7 minutes, taste, and drain when just tender.
- Salt the boiling water to infuse flavor into the couscous, unless you’re using a well-seasoned vegetable broth.
- Let the couscous cool for at least 10 minutes before mixing it with the fresh vegetables to avoid wilting.
- Toast the dry couscous in olive oil before boiling to add a rich, nutty flavor.
- Cook in vegetable broth instead of water to give the couscous a savory, well-rounded taste.
- Chop the vegetables small and evenly so they mix well and distribute flavor in every bite.
- Taste and season generously with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and herbs—couscous absorbs flavors quickly.
- Let the finished salad rest for 10–15 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld together.
- Top with creamy or crunchy extras like feta, non-dairy feta, pine nuts, or pickled onions for added texture.
- Make it ahead of time—this salad holds up beautifully in the fridge and tastes even better the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Despite its English name, Israeli couscous, also called Ptitim or pearl couscous, is not a type of couscous but rather a type of small toasted pasta balls.
Israeli couscous looks and tastes more like Sardinian pasta fregola. It’s made with the same ingredients as pasta: durum wheat semolina flour and water.
Israeli couscous tastes like orzo pasta. It has a neutral flavor with very mild, nutty notes. It absorbs the flavor of the condiments and ingredients served with it well. If cooked al dente, it has a slightly chewy and satisfying texture.
You can, but the texture will be completely different. Pearl couscous is chewy and holds up well in salads, while regular couscous is fluffier and more delicate. Here’s our guide on how to cook couscous.
Yes! It’s actually better after a few hours or even the next day, once the flavors have had time to meld. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container.
Rinse it under cold water after draining, or simply toss it with a little olive oil. Even if it clumps while cooling, it will loosen up when mixed with dressing and vegetables.
This Israeli couscous salad is great for meal prep—store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. It’s perfect for picnics, potlucks, and packed lunches. Freezing is not recommended.
More Easy Mediterranean Salads
- Farro salad
- Rice salad
- Cauliflower lentil salad
- Lentil salad
- Greek chickpea salad
- Moroccan carrot salad
- Tabouli salad
- Moroccan couscous
If you tried this Pearl Couscous recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Pearl Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1½ cups pearl couscous + 4 cups/1 liter water or vegetable broth & 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1½ cups cucumber diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper diced
- 4 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas or 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- ½ cup kalamata olives
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil sub crumbled feta
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley sub 1 teaspoon dried oregano
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic grated
- ¾ teaspoon salt + pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin optional
Instructions
- Cook Couscous – Boil 1½ cups pearl couscous in salted water or broth for 7–10 minutes until al dente. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Prep Veggies – Chop 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1½ cups cucumber, 1 cup green bell pepper, 4 scallions, ½ cup kalamata olives, ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, and 1 cup flat-leaf parsley. Rinse 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas. Add everything to the cooled couscous. Optionally, crumble in the feta.
- Make Dressing – Whisk 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 clove garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to combine.
- Serve – Adjust seasoning to taste. Top with sumac onions, jalapeños, pine nuts, or yogurt-tahini sauce if desired. Serve cold or at room temp.
Video
Notes
- Pearl couscous: Use farro, orzo, barley, fregola, rice, or Moroccan couscous.
- Chickpeas: Swap with black beans, lentils, or edamame.
- Bell pepper: Use red or yellow instead of green.
- Scallions: Replace with red onion or shallots.
- Parsley: Try mint, basil, dill, or oregano.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Sub with marinated artichokes.
- Cherry tomatoes: Any small tomato variety works.
- Feta: Use non-dairy feta or skip for a lighter salad.
- Lemon juice: Red wine vinegar works in a pinch.
- Maple syrup: Swap with honey or agave.
- Dijon mustard: Use yellow mustard if preferred.
- Cumin: Try sumac or paprika for a twist.
- Cook couscous al dente for the best texture.
- Salt the water or use broth for extra flavor.
- Let couscous cool before adding veggies.
- Toast dry couscous for a nutty taste (optional).
- Chop veggies small for even bites.
- Taste and season well—couscous absorbs flavor.
- Let salad rest 10–15 minutes before serving.
- Top with feta, pine nuts, or pickled onions.
- Great for meal prep—tastes better the next day.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
This salad is just mouthwatering good! I used sumac instead of cumin.
Hi Barbara,
So glad you enjoyed the salad! Sumac instead of cumin is a wonderful twist — bright and tangy. Thank you for sharing and for giving the recipe a try!
All the best,
Louise
This dish is amazing!!!! I toasted the couscous first, served with your sumac red onions and a bit of feta. We’ve decided to cook healthy vegetarian during the week, and I am so glad I found your site. I’ve made the Stuffed Bell Peppers, Barley Salad (subbed Faro) and Chickpea Quinoa Salad and loved them. So flavorful and healthy and I can’t wait to keep trying more!
Hi Sue,
Thank you so much for your message! We are sooo happy you like the recipes.
It’s a great idea to toast the couscous first for even more flavor 🙂
Have a wonderful and veggie-packed week.
Nico
Thanks for all receipts. My husband loves lentils but I didn’t have any clue to cook a good dish with lentils until I saw this site and IG post!!!
Fantastic, Misaki! I’m very happy we could provide a bit of inspiration 🎉
Thank you for your kind comment. Kindest, Louise
I just made this recipe – it is so delicious and fresh! I can’t stop eating it! Thank you so much for sharing an easy and healthy recipe .
That’s wonderful, Lisa! I’m very happy you liked the recipe, we are big fans of easy and healthy recipes too 😉
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment 🎉 /Louise
This dish looks absolutely delicious….
Thank you for your endlessly inspiring plant based recipes, much appreciated
You have changed the way I cook and eat forever!
We are so happy you are here, Susan!! Thank you for your kind and supporting words, it means a lot to us ❤️