Couscous Salad
Servings: 4 people
Couscous
- 1 cup (200 grams) couscous dry
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup (250 grams) water just boiled
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or more to taste
Veggies
- 1 can (15-ounce) (230 grams) chickpeas or 1½ cups cooked
- 1½ cups (200 grams) cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1½ cups (200 grams) cucumber diced
- 1 cup (130 grams) yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 small (50 grams) red onion finely chopped
- ½ cup (60 grams) olives halved
- 4 tablespoons (25 grams) parsley finely chopped
- To a large bowl, add 1 cup couscous, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon grated garlic, ¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional), 1 teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.Stir well with a fork until combined. Boil 1 cup water and pour it over the couscous.Stir with a fork to ensure the water covers the couscous, cover the bowl with a plate, and set aside for 5 – 10 minutes.In the meantime, chop the veggies.Fluff couscous with a fork.
- Add 1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas, 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, 1½ cups cucumber, 1 cup yellow bell pepper, 1 small red onion, ½ cup olives, and 4 tablespoons parsley to the bowl with the couscous.Season with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Toss well then taste and adjust for salt before serving.
Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 large serving of couscous salad out of 4 without yogurt and nuts.
STORAGE & MAKE AHEAD
Make ahead: Couscous salad is excellent for meal prep as it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days.
The next day, the salad is even tastier as the flavors have time to meld.
Refrigerator: Keep the salad in a bowl covered with a plate or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To maximize its flavor, take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving it.
Freezer: We don’t recommend freezing the salad as the fresh veggies would lose texture and crunch.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Couscous: Use regular or whole-wheat. Sub veggie broth for water.
- Acid: Swap lemon juice with red/white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Chickpeas: Sub with cannellini beans, black beans, or lentils.
- Tomatoes: Any small, sweet variety works.
- Onion: Use red onion, shallot, green onions, or radishes.
- Cucumber: Sub fennel for crunch.
- Bell Pepper: Use yellow, red, or canned corn.
- Olives: Swap with artichokes or sundried tomatoes.
- Herbs: Flat-leaf or curly parsley; also mint, dill, or basil.
- Toppings: Feta (or vegan), tahini sauce, tzatziki, pine nuts, raisins.
