Israeli couscous salad is packed with raw vegetables and cooked pearl couscous also known as Israeli couscous and chickpeas. With lots of fresh herbs and tossed with simple lemon dressing this salad is perfect salad for hot days, great for picnic and potlucks.
This salad is one of the healthy salad recipes that you must try. It’s so easy to make and the simplest salad dressing makes this salad fresh, vibrant and wonderfully delicious!
This recipe strikes a perfect balance of nutrients, fiber and protein content. It’s light yet filling and satisfying. This is a healthy salad recipe that packs a crunch. Adding complex carbs like couscous to the salad makes it filling and hearty meal rather than just as side.
Load it with fresh cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, jalapenos, baby spinach, fresh mint and parsley(I used cilantro), cooked chickpeas. Couscous soaks up all the dressing making this salad packed with flavors and punch.
This recipe calls for Israeli couscous or pearl couscous. When couscous is cooked properly, it turns out light, fluffy, and each beads separated. That’s right pearl couscous needs to be soaked rather than simply soaking it in hot water.
What Is Couscous?
Couscous may look like a grain, but it is actually pasta made from semolina. It’s a staple in many Arabic countries and Northern Africa. It cooks quickly and it’s pretty much like you cook rice. Just follow the packet instructions, or test it on your own to get the perfect couscous to liquid ratio.
NOTE – though in the packet the instruction was to add 2 cups liquid to every 1 cup couscous, I use 1.5 cups liquid for every 1 cup couscous. Adding 2 cups made couscous too soft and it turns gummy. Be careful with liquid ratio. Test it out first.
Couscous is mostly served with meat or stew in countries like Morocco. Dressing it as a salad is another common dish one makes with couscous. The salad is very versatile; you can add any vegetable of your choice.
Does Couscous Taste Like Pasta?
Well not exactly! It may be called pasta of the Middle eastern countries, it’s smaller size compared to pasta, and it’s slightly slippery texture, you mind might not be able to register it as pasta most times. Haha!
How To Cook Couscous?
Regular couscous is usually soaked in hot/warm water for few minutes until it’s light and fluffy.
Pearl couscous however needs to be cooked in water on stove top just like pasta. You can cook it in plenty of water just like pasta and then drain it soon as it turn light, fluffy and each bead grown in size a bit. Or you can cook it like steamed rice, adding just enough water to cook the pearl couscous.
I personally like to enhance the taste of couscous while cooking it, so I first saute minced garlic and onions, then add in couscous along with liquid. Following the packet instructions to cook perfect couscous can be tricky sometimes.
I noticed by following packet instruction to cook 1 cup of couscous in 2 cups of water turned it gummy and very soft. So I always follow the ratio – 1 cup couscous cooked in 1 ½ cup water or stock. You get perfect, each bead separated couscous every time.
Israeli Couscous Salad Recipe Ingredients
Though you can change and customize with your favorite vegetables and herbs, what cannot be ignored is tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh herbs. To infuse Israeli flavors and touch, cooked or canned chickpeas is added to the salad.
These are the things I added to my Israeli couscous salad recipe –
For Salad –
Pearl Couscous – Pearl couscous are bigger bead that regular couscous. Works great in salads.
Garlic – I love to enhance flavors at different levels in the recipe. Though you can cook Israeli couscous in plain water, sautéing garlic and onion and cooking couscous in it makes it more flavorful. Why make it plain and bland when you can enhance the flavors.
Cherry Tomatoes – cherry tomatoes makes your salad look pretty. Tang of the tomatoes enhances flavor of the salad.
Cucumbers – add freshness and crunch to the taste.
Red Onions – Raw onions in salads like these are amazing. The crunch element of raw onions when you bite into it is delicious!
Baby Spinach – Told you this salad is packed with phytonutrients. Spinach!
Fresh Herbs – You can use any fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, fresh mint, dill leaves, fresh basil. In this recipe I have used a mix of cilantro and fresh mint.
Green Onions – It’s lovely in the salad.
Jalapenos (optional) – want to have an extra kick in the salad? Use Jalapenos, finely chopped.
For Couscous Salad Dressing –
EVOO – extra virgin olive oil is best. Use the best quality EVOO as we are not cooking in the oil, but using it as it is. It adds to the taste and flavor of the salad.
Lemon Zest – Zest of one or two lemons can be used for freshness and tang.
Lemon Juice – Juice of one lemon.
Mustard – Feel free to dijon mustard. I used stone ground mustard paste.
Salt n Pepper – Season for your salad. Since no salt or pepper is added to the salad itself, ensure you use right amount of salt and pepper in the dressing to season the salad well.
How To Make Israeli Couscous Salad
I’m not using canned chickpeas, I prepped for it previous night by soaking dried chickpeas overnight and cooked it in pressure cooker next morning for 20 minutes. Skip this step if you use canned chickpeas. Drain chickpeas from the liquid and rinse it once in colander before using.
Before you toss the salad together, you need to cook couscous first.
To Cook Couscous:
In a large pot, heat EVOO(use the best quality). Saute minced garlic and onions for 2 minutes, sautéing at regular intervals.
Once onions begin to sweat, add in pearl couscous.
Pour water or stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarian option), still for 30 seconds.
When water begin to boil, reduce heat to medium low. Cover pot with the lid and let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
Couscous should be light and fluffy.
Open the lid, fluff it with fork gently. Keep it aside to cool.
Make Salad Dressing:
While couscous cools down, we can make the salad dressing. Into a jar, pour EVOO (use best quality), lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Shake well.
Tossing Salad:
Into a large salad bowl, add cooked couscous. Add in 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 until well combined.
Serve the salad immediately for the side dish.
How To Store Couscous Salad?
Couscous salad can be served immediately or can be store in refrigerator for 2 days. It’s best to serve it after few hours of tossing everything together. Couscous soaks in all the wonderful flavors from the lemon salad dressing and taste great.
Please do not store this salad beyond 2 days, it won’t taste it’s best.
Tips To Make Best Israeli Couscous Salad
Perfectly Cooked Couscous– This recipe calls for pearl couscous. Ensure to cook it perfect, every bead separated, light and fluffy. What works for me is 1 cup couscous cooked in 1 ½ cup (not 2 cups) liquid. Gummy, soft or overcooked couscous will ruin the salad.
Do Not Prep Ahead – To make life easy, many times we do prep work ahead of time. Not for this salad. Chopping tomatoes and cucumbers and storing it in the fridge overnight or few days may not be great idea. Resist the temptation of prepping ahead. Chop the veggies just before you make the salad. It’ll have that wonderful freshness and crunch intact in it.
Best Quality EVOO – Salad dressing is flavor enhancer for the dish. Using the best quality EVOO will make the salad taste it’s best.
Cook Your Chickpeas- Though you can use canned chickpeas, cooking your own chickpeas from scratch gives better tasting chickpeas, hence better tasting salad. Chickpeas cooked at home are perfect in texture, holds it shape, tastes richer and creamier.
Serve It Same Day After Few Hours – Once you toss the salad and dressing together, leave the salad at room temperature for few hours. Couscous will soak in all the flavors from the dressing. Salad tastes better after few hours the same day.
OTHER SALADS TO TRY –
- Watermelon Feta Salad
- 3 Bean Salad
- Fresh Spring Salad
- Mexican Quinoa Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Summer Corn Salad
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Israeli Couscous Salad
Ingredients
Couscous-
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- ¼ cup cooked chickpeas (can use canned chickpeas too)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoon EVOO
- 1 ½ cups water or stock use vegetable stock for vegetarian option
For Salad-
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 small cucumbers diced
- ¼ red onion diced
- 1 cup baby spinach finely sliced
- ½ cup chopped parsley or cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint chopped
- 3 stalks of green onions chopped fine
- 1 jalapenos chopped fine (reduce it to half if you don’t want too spicy and remove seeds)
For Lemon Salad Dressing-
- ⅓ cups EVOO use best quality
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed pepper
Instructions
- I love to cook chickpeas rather than using canned stuff. I prepped it previous night by soaking dried chickpeas overnight and cooked it in pressure cooker next morning for 20 minutes. Skip this step if you use canned chickpeas. Drain chickpeas from the liquid and rinse it once in colander before using.
- Before you toss the salad together, you need to cook couscous first.
To Cook Couscous:
- In a large pot, heat EVOO(use the best quality). Saute minced garlic and onions for 2 minutes, sautéing at regular intervals.
- Once onions begin to sweat, add in pearl couscous.
- Pour water or stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarian option), still for 30 seconds.
- When water begin to boil, reduce heat to medium low. Cover pot with the lid and let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Couscous should be light and fluffy.
- Open the lid, fluff it with fork gently. Keep it aside to cool.
Make Salad Dressing:
- While couscous cools down, we can make the salad dressing. Into a jar, pour EVOO (use best quality), lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Shake well.
Tossing Salad:
- Into a large salad bowl, add cooked couscous. Add in 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 until well combined.
- Serve the salad immediately for the side dish.
Video
Notes
- Perfectly Cooked Couscous– This recipe calls for pearl couscous. Ensure to cook it perfect, every bead separated, light and fluffy. What works for me is 1 cup couscous cooked in 1 ½ cup (not 2 cups) liquid. Gummy, soft or overcooked couscous will ruin the salad.
- Do Not Prep Ahead – To make life easy, many times we do prep work ahead of time. Not for this salad. Chopping tomatoes and cucumbers and storing it in the fridge overnight or few days may not be great idea. Resist the temptation of prepping ahead. Chop the veggies just before you make the salad. It’ll have that wonderful freshness and crunch intact in it.
- Best Quality EVOO – Salad dressing is flavor enhancer for the dish. Using the best quality EVOO will make the salad taste it’s best.
- Cook Your Chickpeas- Though you can use canned chickpeas, cooking your own chickpeas from scratch gives better tasting chickpeas, hence better tasting salad. Chickpeas cooked at home are perfect in texture, holds it shape, tastes richer and creamier.
- Serve It Same Day After Few Hours – Once you toss the salad and dressing together, leave the salad at room temperature for few hours. Couscous will soak in all the flavors from the dressing. Salad tastes better after few hours the same day.
Nutrition
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Linda
The quantity of chickpeas, either canned or dried, is missing from the ingredients list.
Jyothi Rajesh
Oops, sorry about that. Corrected it now. Thanks for pointing it out.