Pearl Couscous Salad is a simple, satisfying, and delicious salad made with lots of fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and a lemony salad dressing. Everyone loves it when I bring this easy salad to summer barbecues! It’s different than the typical pasta salads and macaroni salads that have become the norm, and it pairs well with just about everything. But if you’d rather make a classic pasta salad today, be sure to check out my Dill Pickle Pasta Salad, and traditional Tuna Pasta Salad recipes. You can never have too many salads!
What is Pearl Couscous?
If you’re familiar with regular couscous, then think of that, just bigger! Pearl couscous, also called Israeli couscous, is a type of pasta made of tiny circles of toasted semolina flour. A staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, pearl couscous can be enjoyed as a simple side dish, added to curries and soups, or turned into this healthy and delicious Pearl Couscous Salad. Pearl couscous is a quick-cooking grain, with a delightful fluffy yet chewy texture. Just like traditional pasta, it will soak up flavors from sauces and dressings wonderfully and can be used in so many amazing recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients In Pearl Couscous Salad
Here’s what you need to make this salad:
Pearl Couscous: I used whole wheat pearl couscous for this recipe, but you can just as easily use regular. Look for it in the store, called pearl couscous, gourmet pearl couscous, or Israeli couscous. Herbs: Fresh parsley and mint give this salad so much flavor and are traditional in middle eastern cooking. Veggies: Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and garbanzo beans. You can skip the beans if you prefer, but I love their creamy texture and the added protein. Chop the veggies into bite-sized pieces. Artichoke Hearts: Artichokes marinated in oil and seasonings are usually found in a glass jar. They’re delicious eaten straight from the jar too! Kalamata Olives: Buy pitted olives and slice them in half so that more bites of the salad have some of their briny goodness. You can also buy whole olives and pit them yourself with a simple olive pitting gadget. It also works to pit cherries! Feta Cheese: Be sure to buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself. It’s so much more delicious this way! For the Dressing: Extra virgin olive oil (use the good stuff for salad dressings!), Lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, a bit of honey, salt, and pepper.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make The Best Pearl Couscous Salad
How to Cook Pearl Couscous
How To make a Salad with Couscous
Recipe Tips
If you don’t find marinated artichokes in oil, you can substitute with canned artichokes in water. They have less flavor, but the same lovely texture, and they’ll pick up the flavor from the dressing. In the UK you’ll find marinated artichokes in a 285g (10oz) jar, which is slightly smaller than the 12oz jars you’ll find in the US. Either size will work just fine though! Be sure to wash and dry the veggies and herbs well before chopping them. I like to use a mini salad spinner to wash parsley and mint leaves. Use English or Persian cucumbers instead of standard cucumbers. They’re crunchier! For added flavor, cook the couscous in vegetable broth instead of plain water. For extra protein, top this salad with yogurt marinated grilled chicken, poached shrimp, or grilled salmon.
Storing Tips
The dressing for this salad can be made and kept in a jar in the fridge for several days. Cooked pearl couscous can also be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container. You can make the entire salad up to 2 days ahead of time if you like! It’s just as good on day one as it is on day 3. Salad with couscous makes a wonderful lunch. Be sure to pack up any leftovers and enjoy them tomorrow!
What To Serve With Pearl Couscous Salad
The flavors in this salad are inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors, so it’s delicious served with any of your favorite dishes from those regions! Try it with Middle Eastern meals like Falafel, Beef Kafta, Grilled Halloumi Cheese, and spiced Shish Tawook. Don’t forget to make up a batch of homemade Yogurt Flatbreads too! Or, go Greek and try this salad with Chicken Gyros, or a platter of fresh pita and dips like Tzatziki and Baked Feta Dip. This easy to make Pearl Couscous Salad is going to be the new favorite at all of your summer barbecues and family parties! Don’t forget to Pin the recipe now to save it. © Little Sunny Kitchen
