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Home > Salads > Israeli Couscous Salad

Israeli Couscous Salad

Last updated June 23, 2021. Originally posted June 23, 2021 By Jyothi Rajesh 2 Comments

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Israeli couscous salad in bowl with text
Israeli couscous salad in bowl with text
Israeli couscous salad with text overlay

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 summer days, great for picnic and potlucks too.

Isreali couscous salad in white bowl with spoon
Jump to:
  • About couscous salad recipe
  • Ingredients you’ll need
  • How to make couscous salad (step-by-step pictorial)
  • Tips to make best Israeli couscous salad
  • FAQS
  • 📋Israeli Couscous Salad

About couscous salad recipe

1. It’s an healthy salad that packs a crunch. It’s fresh, vibrant and wonderfully delicious!

2. The salad is easy to make with a simple but flavorful salad dressing.

3. This recipe strikes a perfect balance of nutrients, fiber and protein content. It’s light yet filling and satisfying.

4. Adding complex carbs like couscous to the salad makes it filling/hearty meal rather than just as side.

5. Salad is loaded with fresh vegetables for taste and crunch. Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, jalapenos, baby spinach, fresh mint and parsley or cilantro plus loads of chickpeas. Couscous soaks up all the dressing making this salad packed with flavors and punch.

6. This recipe calls for Israeli couscous or pearl couscous. When couscous is cooked properly, it turns out light, fluffy, and each beads separated. The secret to perfectly cooked pearl couscous is soaking in hot water before cooking.

couscous salad served in two white bowls with spoons on the sides

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s what you need –

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.

ingredients for Israeli couscous salad spread on a board

How to make couscous salad (step-by-step pictorial)

No canned chickpeas? No problem. Cook chickpeas easily at home. Start by soaking dried chickpeas overnight and cooked it in pressure cooker next morning for 20 minutes (for 1 cup chickpeas use ¼ to ½ cup water to cook).

If using canned chickpeas simple drain chickpeas from the liquid and rinse it once in colander before using.

Let’s 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.

sauteing garlic and onions in olive oil

Once onions begin to sweat, add in pearl couscous.

pearl couscous added to stock pot

Pour water or stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarian option), still for 30 seconds.

cook pearl couscous in water

When water begin to boil, reduce heat to medium low. Cover pot with the lid and let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

cooking pearl couscous in a pot
pot in which pearl couscous is cooked

Couscous should be light and fluffy.

Open the lid, fluff it with fork gently. Keep it aside to cool.

fluff couscous with fork
perfectly cooked pearl couscous

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.

making salad dressing in a jar
making salad dressing in a jar
making salad dressing in a jar

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).

all the saald ingredients added to the salad mixing bowl

Pour salad dressing over it. Gently toss the salad until well combined.

pour lemon salad dressing over salad bowl
toss Israeli couscous salad

Serve the salad immediately for the side dish.

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.

Isreali couscous salad in white bowl with spoon

FAQS

What Is Couscous?

Couscous may look like a grain, but it is actually pasta made from semolina. It’s a staple in 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 has slightly slippery texture, you mind might not be able to register it as pasta most times.

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.

How To Store Couscous Salad?

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.

Isreali couscous salad in white bowl with spoon

MORE 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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Isreali couscous salad in white bowl with spoon
5 from 1 vote

📋Israeli Couscous Salad

Jyothi Rajesh
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.
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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Course Salads, Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 6 servings
Calories 291

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-

  • â…“ 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
 

  • No canned chickpeas? No problem. Cook chickpeas easily at home. Start by soaking dried chickpeas overnight and cooked it in pressure cooker next morning for 20 minutes (for 1 cup chickpeas use ¼ to ½ cup water to cook).
  • If using canned chickpeas simple drain chickpeas from the liquid and rinse it once in colander before using.
    Let’s 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Best Quality EVOO – Salad dressing is flavor enhancer for the dish. Using the best quality EVOO will make the salad taste it’s best.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
 
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 6gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 226mgPotassium: 386mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1391IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 2mg
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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Linda says

    February 09, 2020 at 7:00 pm

    The quantity of chickpeas, either canned or dried, is missing from the ingredients list.

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      February 10, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      Oops, sorry about that. Corrected it now. Thanks for pointing it out.

      Reply

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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