5 from 4 votes
Israeli Couscous Salad
Israeli couscous salad is packed with vegetables and cooked pearl couscous and chickpeas. With simple lemon dressing and loads of fresh herbs, this salad is great for a light lunch, picnics, and potlucks on any day.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings:
6
servings
Calories:
291 kcal
Course:
Side Dish, Salad
Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Ingredients
Couscous-
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- ¼ cup chickpeas canned chickpeas works too, cooked
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil EVOO
- 1 ½ cups water use vegetable stock for vegetarian option, or stock
For Salad-
- 8 oz cherry tomato halved
- 2 cucumber diced, small
- ¼ red onion diced
- 1 cup baby spinach finely sliced
- ½ cup parsley or cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup mint chopped, fresh
- 3 green onions chopped fine, stalks
- 1 jalapeños chopped fine (reduce it to half if you don’t want too spicy and remove seeds)
For Lemon Salad Dressing-
- ⅓ cups extra-virgin olive oil use best quality, EVOO
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- If using canned chickpeas simply drain chickpeas from the liquid and rinse it once in a colander before using.
- In a large pot, heat EVOO. Sauté minced garlic and onions for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Once onions begin to sweat, add in pearl couscous.
- Pour water or stock (use vegetable stock for the vegetarian option), stir well.
- When water begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the pot with the lid and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Open the lid, and fluff it with a fork gently. Keep it aside to cool completely.
- While couscous cools, make salad dressing. Into a jar, add EVOO, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake well.
- Into a large salad bowl, add cooked couscous. Add in the rest of the salad ingredients – halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, red onions, roughly chopped baby spinach, cooked (or canned) chickpeas, chopped fresh herbs (cilantro or parsley and fresh mint), chopped green onions, chopped jalapenos (leave the seeds on if you like it hot).
- Pour salad dressing over it. Gently toss the salad.
- Rest for a while at room temperature, and serve immediately.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary based on the products used.
- Perfectly cooked couscous- For 1 cup of pearl couscous use 1 ½ cups liquid. Gummy, sticky, or overcooked couscous will ruin the salad. Cook pearl couscous in advance - You'll need to cook pearl couscous at least 1 hour before so it has ample time to cool completely. Fresh is best - use fresh, best-quality ingredients. Best quality EVOO – Salad dressing is a flavor enhancer for any salad. Using the best quality EVOO will make the salad taste its best. Serve it the same day – let the salad rest for a few hours so couscous will soak in all the flavors from the dressing.
- Perfectly cooked couscous- For 1 cup of pearl couscous use 1 ½ cups liquid. Gummy, sticky, or overcooked couscous will ruin the salad.
- Cook pearl couscous in advance - You'll need to cook pearl couscous at least 1 hour before so it has ample time to cool completely.
- Fresh is best - use fresh, best-quality ingredients.
- Best quality EVOO – Salad dressing is a flavor enhancer for any salad. Using the best quality EVOO will make the salad taste its best.
- Serve it the same day – let the salad rest for a few hours so couscous will soak in all the flavors from the dressing.
Nutrition Information
Calories
291kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
31g
(10%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
16g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Sodium
226mg
(9%)
Potassium
386mg
(8%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
1391IU
(28%)
Vitamin C
29mg
(32%)
Calcium
57mg
(6%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 291
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 291kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 31g | 10% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Sodium | 226mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 386mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 1391IU | 28% |
| Vitamin C | 29mg | 32% |
| Calcium | 57mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.