Couscous Salad is a flavorful summer season aspect dish that includes fluffy couscous studded with contemporary corn, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, candy peaches, chopped basil, and creamy feta in an incredible honey lime dressing!
Faculty could also be across the nook, however on the subject of seasonal consuming, summer season remains to be in full swing! And I am unsure I’ve made a recipe this summer season that encompasses the wonderful flavors and textures and colours of the season higher than this delicious Couscous Salad.
Bursting with an array of fruits and veggies and herbs, that is a straightforward Couscous Salad recipe that I would haven’t any drawback consuming all 12 months lengthy!
Components
What makes this summer-inspired Couscous Salad so particular?
- Couscous. Whereas some suppose couscous is a grain, it is truly a tiny pasta!
- The kind of couscous we’re utilizing on this Couscous Salad recipe is conventional (or Mediterranean) couscous, comprised of teeny-tiny balls of semolina — not the bigger forms of pearl, Israeli, or Lebanese couscous.
- Totally different packing containers or luggage of couscous will differ of their ratios and instructions. So for a tried-and-true final result, you would possibly like to take a look at the instructions in my Methods to Prepare dinner Excellent Couscous publish. 😉 After all, when you’re needing to make use of up leftover cooked couscous as a substitute, that might work nice on this recipe as effectively!
- Corn on the cob. Cooked and sliced from the cob…and remember to make use of my fool-proof technique for roasting it!
- Cherry or grape tomatoes. You will most definitely wish to halve them. Nonetheless, in the event that they’re significantly massive, you may reduce them into quarters. You simply need pretty uniform-sized components in your couscous salad to make it simple to eat.
- Cucumber. Peel it and cube it. I choose utilizing an English cucumber (or a regular-but-not-too-large cucumber) to keep away from large seeds.
- Peaches. Candy, ripe, juicy peaches are barely surprising — but merely divine — on this salad. When you choose, you can embrace firmer apricots, candy mango, and even cherries or plums as a substitute.
- Feta. I am an enormous fan of the distinction that creamy, crumbled feta lends to a salad. Alternatively, you can use goat cheese.
- Basil. A chiffonade of basil provides such freshness to this dish. Mint would even be pretty.
- Honey Lime Dressing. Lastly, this salad is tossed with a easy mix of extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, and honey. It is the proper, tangy-sweet French dressing to convey the entire different flavors collectively.
After all, be at liberty to swap out or throw in any further goodies to your liking! Cubed avocado, plump berries, minced crimson onion, crispy bacon, sliced almonds…the probabilities are infinite.
Methods to Make Couscous Salad
(The beneath images are meant to be useful, however please consult with the recipe card on the backside of this publish for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
The steps are tremendous simple!
- Prepare dinner the couscous.
- Peel/slice/chop the components. Layer in a bowl and prime with crumbled feta and basil chiffonade.
- Whisk collectively (or shake up) the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the Couscous Salad components. Gently stir to mix.
- Serve and luxuriate in!
Any leftovers of this Couscous Salad recipe could be popped within the fridge and can stay scrumptious for a further day or two.
That being mentioned, pasta continues to soak up dressing and might change consistency with chilling, so I believe that this salad is greatest loved instantly after making it.
Make-Forward Instructions
If you would like to prep your Couscous Salad forward of time, you might definitely achieve this.
Prepare dinner and funky the couscous.
Peel/slice/chop a lot of the components (though I would wait on the peaches and basil till simply earlier than serving, to stop them from browning).
Whisk collectively the dressing.
Tightly cowl and individually retailer your pre-prepped, particular person components.
After which save the ultimate step of mixing all the pieces till simply earlier than it is time to chow down!
This simple Couscous Salad actually does take advantage of distinctive and scrumptious addition to any summer season meal, celebration, or get-together.
It is gentle and wholesome and oh-so-flavorful…the proper aspect for absolutely anything from burgers to barbecue to seafood to steak.
And remember that it is also completely customizable!
Hope y’all have an opportunity to take pleasure in this one earlier than the season ends. 🙂
Extra Summer time Salads
- 1 cup dry couscous, cooked & cooled, (yielding about 3 cups of cooked couscous)
- 2 cobs contemporary corn on the cob, cooked, peeled & sliced from the cob
- 1 cup small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 2 medium peaches, peeled & diced
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup contemporary basil leaves (packed), sliced right into a chiffonade
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Salt & freshly floor black pepper, to style
Stop your display screen from going darkish
-
Mix the cooked couscous, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, peaches, feta, and basil in a big bowl. In a small bowl, whisk collectively the olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper (or shake collectively in a jar). Pour the dressing over the salad components, toss to coat, and serve instantly.
- You’ll want to use conventional (or Mediterranean) couscous, not the bigger forms of pearl, Israeli, or Lebanese couscous.
- Totally different packing containers or luggage of couscous will differ of their ratios and instructions. So for a tried-and-true final result, you would possibly like to take a look at my instructions for Methods to Prepare dinner Excellent Couscous.
- I additionally suggest utilizing my fool-proof technique for roasting corn on the cob.
- You need pretty uniform-sized components in your Couscous Salad to make it simple to eat. So the scale of your tomatoes will dictate whether or not it’s essential halve or quarter them.
- Be at liberty to swap out or throw in any further goodies you want. You may substitute apricots, mangoes, and even cherries or plums for the peaches. Goat cheese could also be exchanged for the feta. Mint could be swapped for the basil. Or you may add further components to your salad corresponding to cubed avocado, plump berries, minced crimson onion, crispy bacon, sliced almonds, or no matter you favor.
- MAKE-AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: Since pasta continues to soak up dressing and might change consistency with chilling, this salad is greatest loved instantly after making it. Or you may prep the recipe forward of time: (1) Prepare dinner and funky the couscous. (2) Peel/slice/chop a lot of the components (though I would wait on the peaches and basil till simply earlier than serving, to stop them from browning). (3) Whisk collectively the dressing. (4) Tightly cowl and individually retailer your pre-prepped, particular person components. (5) Mix all the pieces simply earlier than serving.
Energy: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fats: 10g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Ldl cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg
Submit initially printed on July 31, 2019, and up to date on July 5, 2020, and July 10, 2024.
