Pasta salad is great, but have you ever tried a pearl couscous salad? This dish is packed full of mediterranean flavours that will surely please a crowd.
Equipment
Here’s everything you need to make this couscous salad at home:
- large pot
- strainer
- small bowl
- whisk
- chef’s knife
Note: the full ingredients list and recipe instructions can be found below!
Cooking Tips
1. Use pearl couscous not golden couscous. Although both varieties are delicious, this recipe is best made with the larger, pearl couscous.
2. Don’t have chickpeas? Try making this salad with another bean or legume in your pantry. Navy beans or butter beans would be a great substitute.
3. Shopping for moroccan olives might be difficult depending where you live. Try looking in the deli section of your grocery store, if you don’t see them amongst the jarred olives. I usually find them at my local cheese shop or specialty grocery store.
4. Storing couscous salad in an airtight container means you can keep it in the fridge for up to seven days. If you plan on doing this, I would suggest keeping the arugula separate and adding it in just before you’re ready to eat. This will help prevent soggy greens and keep the salad fresh all week.
Is couscous a pasta or grain?
Although couscous is commonly mistaken as a grain, it’s actually a type of pasta. Couscous is made from semolina flour mixed with water and shaped into pearl-sized balls.
Cooking pearl couscous
While it’s most traditional to toast pearl couscous in a pot with aromatics before boiling, for the purposes of this salad, I like to treat it like pasta in a pot of seasoned water. Once it’s soft and easy to bite into, strain the cooking liquid and serve.
Pearl Couscous Salad
4
servings20
minutesIngredients
2 cups pearl couscous
1 540 mL can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
300g cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in halves
50g arugula or micro arugula
1 cup pitted dried moroccan olives
200g feta
1 cup olive oil
1 lemon
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp honey
Salt (I'm using Diamond Crystal)
Cracked black pepper
Directions
Bring a large pot of salty water to boil. Add couscous and cook for 8-10 minutes or until soft but still a little chewy.
Drain couscous and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make your dressing. In a small bowl add olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, honey and the juice and zest of the lemon. Whisk until emulsified. Season with a generous pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
Once your couscous is cool, transfer it to a large bowl and top with chickpeas, tomatoes, arugula, olives and crumbled feta. Toss with the dressing and enjoy!
Tag me @stefsdinnerdate on Instagram and TikTok if you make it! I love seeing your creations.