Go Back
–+ servings
Overhead view of white bowl filled with couscous salad and a lemon wedge
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Balsamic Pearl Couscous Salad

A fresh and crunchy salad made with couscous, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and more! Takes just 20 minutes active time and is perfect for meal prep lunches.
Prep Time20 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: vegan
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 511kcal
Author: Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LDN

Ingredients

Crunchy Mediterranean Salad

  • 1 cup dry pearl couscous see note #1
  • 1 and ¾ cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14-16 ounces) chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium cucumber diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
  • ½ medium red onion diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup kalamata olives finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup feta
  • 1 medium lemon sliced into wedges for serving

Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice from ~½ large lemon
  • 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Instructions

  • Combine 1 cup dry couscous with 1 and ¾ cups water (or vegetable broth) in a small pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer over medium-low. Simmer uncovered until the couscous is soft, about 10-12 minutes. It should be al dente like pasta. Drain off any excess liquid.
  • Prep the veggies while the couscous cooks. Combine cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, chickpeas, olives and red bell pepper in a large bowl. Add the cooked couscous.
  • To make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, honey and salt in a small container.
  • Drizzle the dressing on just before serving. Toss with fresh parsley and feta and serve with a lemon wedge. For a cold salad, transfer to the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Pearl couscous: You can use regular couscous, white or brown rice, farro, barley, quinoa or any chewy grain in place of pearl couscous. If changing grains, cook them according to package instructions.
  2. Leftovers: Keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 4-5 days. 
  3. Make vegan by replacing honey with agave syrup and use vegan feta in place of feta. You can omit the feta entirely if you can't find vegan feta.
  4. Chilling the salad: You can avoid the need to chill the salad by cooking the couscous a day in advance. Refrigerate the couscous until you're ready to use it the next day.
  5. Check out the full YouTube video for Couscous Salad for more tips and step-by-step instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 661mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1505IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 5mg