• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Salads with Anastasia logo
  • SALAD RECIPES
  • COLLECTIONS
  • DRESSINGS
  • SALAD VEGGIES
  • ABOUT
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
Home » Salad Index

The Ultimate Mediterranean Couscous Salad - Great for Lunches

Made by Anastasia Papapetros - Serves 6 Filed Under: Dinner Salads, Grain Salads, Make Ahead Salads, Salad Index, Salad Recipes By Ingredient, Salads by Diet, Salads by Season, Salads Recipes By Type, Salads with Cheese, Summer Salads, Vegan Salads, Vegetable Salad, Vegetarian Salads

Share
Pin111
Post
Share

This Mediterranean couscous is packable, so there is no need to worry about what to make for weekday lunches, picnics or potlucks. Full of irresistible Mediterranean flavours, it will tempt you to eat it way before your lunch or picnic.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
MEDITERRANEAN COUSCOUS SALAD IN PORTRAIT

Classic Mediterranean flavours like juicy tomatoes, red peppers, crunchy cucumbers, tangy olives and salty feta are all drizzled with our herby, lemon, olive oil dressing and tossed with nutty couscous to make such a tantalising combination that you will find it hard to resist.

If my Dad, the super fussy, no-frills eater, can enjoy this tasty salad with the “funny sand” in it, then I can guarantee that you will just love it as well. After one cautious taste, he just loved how the couscous (sand) had soaked up the flavours from the zingy dressing and tomatoes, making it ideal for packing for weekday lunches or picnics as the flavours improve with time.

In This Post:
 [hide]
  1. You Will Need
  2. How to Make It
  3. Serving Suggestions
  4. Tips and Questions
  5. More Grain Salad Recipes
  6. Recipe Card

You Will Need

LABELLED INGREDIENTS FOR MEDITRRANEAN COUSCOUS SALAD

How to Make It

Step 1- Cut Your Veggies

Wash your tomatoes, cut off the tops and ends and cut into small dice.

DICING RED TOMATOES INTO A SMALL DICE

Wash your cucumber, cut off the tops and ends, cut it in half and remove the seeds with a teaspoon and then cut into small dice.

DICING SEEDED CUCUMBERS INTO A SMALL DICE ON A WOODEN BAORD

Cut off the core and end of your capsicum (pepper), remove the seeds then rinse under cold water. Cut into small dice.

DICING RED PEPPER INTO A SMALL DICE ON A WOODEN BAORD

Trim your onion, remove the papery skin, rinse under cold water and then cut into small dice.

DICING RED ONION INTO A SMALL DICE ON A WOODEN BOARD

Wash the herbs for your dressing, pat them dry and roughly chop.

ROUGHLY CHOPPING HERBS ON A WOODEN BOARD

Step 2 - Prepare the Couscous

Tip the couscous in a heatproof bowl, add the olive oil and stir through this will coat each grain in oil and help them to stay separate.

NOTE: Adding the oil either before adding the boiling water or with the boiling water, will help it to separate. 
As a general rule you need to add one tablespoon of oil for each cup of couscous. 
COUS COUS IN A BOWL WITH OIL

Pour over boiling water and season with salt. Use the same amount of liquid as couscous no more or it will be soggy and no less as it will not soften.

POURING BOILING WATER INTO COUSCOUS IN A WHITE BOWL

Cover your couscous either with a plate, lid or cling film and let it stand for 5-10 minutes (this will depend on your couscous, check your packet for details).

NOTE: Don’t leave it for too long soaking in the liquid as it will clump. After 5-10 minutes try some – if it’s soft then you’re good to fluff, but if it’s at all crunchy, cover then it let it stand for a few more minutes before fluffing.
A TERRACOTTA & WHITE BOWL WITH A PLATE ON TOP

Fluff the couscous up with a fork, do not use a spoon to fluff the couscous as it will make it clump and not separate.

FLUFFING COOKED COUSCOUS WITH A FORK

Step 3 - Blitz Your Dressing

Place all your dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender, season with salt and pepper then blitz until well combined.

Taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.

HERBY LEMON DRESSING BLITZED TIL SMOOTH

Step 4 - Assemble the Salad

In a large mixing bowl, place the couscous and vegetables, pour over your dressing, season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

CHOPPED MEDITERRANEAN COUSCOUS SALAD INGREDIENTS IN A BOWL

Toss toss your salad well until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.

MIX UNTIL WELL COMBINED

Arrange in a salad bowl, scatter the extra feta and parsley on top to garnish.
Keep refrigerated for at least half an hour before serving to allow the flavours to meld and develop.

Mediterranean couscous salad on a ceramic plate with gold servers and sliced lemons and parsley on the side.

Serving Suggestions

We served our Mediterranean couscous at a summer picnic with barbecued lamb chops and souvlaki but you could serve it with any grilled meat or try it with:

  • Moroccan lamb stew
  • Chickpea tagine
  • Harissa chicken

Tips and Questions

What Are Mediterranean Flavours?

The idea of Mediterranean flavours was introduced by Elizabeth David in her 1950s book “A book of Mediterranean Food” which highlights foods and cooking styles from the Mediterranean basin (commonly Italy, Greece, Spain & Morocco).

The core elements of these flavours focus on the olive, wheat and grape (olive oil, bread/pasta and wine). Other key Mediterranean ingredients are lemon, garlic, fresh herbs and spices.

Can I Make the Salad in Advance?

  • Absolutely! Mediterranean couscous salad often tastes even better when the flavours have had time to meld.
  • Just store it in the refrigerator and toss it again before serving.

Can I Substitute Couscous With Another Grain?

Certainly! You can use quinoa, bulgur, or farro as alternatives to couscous, adjusting the cooking method accordingly.

Storage & Meal Prep for Mediterranean Couscous Salad

  • Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it should keep for about a week.
  • If it becomes a bit dry after refrigeration, you can add a splash of olive oil and toss it again before serving.
  • For meal prep, it is just a matter of making up the salad and portioning it out into your containers. If you would like some additional protein you could add some chickpeas, falafel, grilled chicken or pan-seared lamb.

How Do I Prevent the Salad From Getting Soggy?

Ensure that the vegetables are well-drained before adding them to the couscous.

More Grain Salad Recipes

An aerial view of herbed tabbouleh salad on a blue plate with servers and mint on the side.
HERB TABBOULEH
An aerial view of bulgur salad in a ceramic bowl with salad servers.
BULGUR SALAD

Recipe Card

Mediterranean couscous salad on a ceramic plate with gold servers and sliced lemons and parsley on the side.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

This Mediterranean couscous is packable so there is no need to worry about what to make for weekday lunches, picnics or potlucks. Full of irresistible Mediterranean flavours it will tempt you to eat it way before your lunch or picnic.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
* Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Easy
Servings: 6 as a side
Calories: 373kcal
Author: Anastasia Papapetros
Toggle to prevent your screen from going dark
Equipment
  • Small Food Processor or High-Speed / Bullet Blender
Ingredients
For the couscous
  • 1 cup couscous
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Pinch of sea salt
For the salad
  • 2 medium tomatoes {approximately 240 grams}
  • 1 small cucumber {approximately 100 grams}
  • 1 medium bullhorn pepper {approximately 120 grams}
  • 1 small red onion {approximately 80 grams}
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives, sliced {approximately 70 grams}
  • ⅓ cup feta, crumbled {approximately 70 grams}
For the dressing
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup soft herbs {I used parsley, mint and basil}
  • 1 garlic clove minced
For the garnish
  • 2 tbsps feta crumbled
  • 1 tbsps parsley chopped
Metric - Imperial
Instructions
  • Wash and trim your vegetables then cut them all into a small dice.
  • Wash the herbs for the dressing, pat dry and roughly chop.
  • Put the couscous in a heatproof boil, add the olive oil and stir through then pour over the boiling water and season. Cover and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes then fluff with a fork.
  • Place all your dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender, season and blitz until combined.
  • In a large mixing bowl, place the couscous and vegetables, pour over your dressing, season and toss until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  • Arrange in a salad bowl, scatter the extra feta and parsley on top to garnish. Keep refrigerated (at least half an hour) until ready to serve.

Video

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1983IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @salads_with_anastasia or tag #salads_with_anastasia!
Share
Pin111
Post
Share

More Salad Index

  • Kale Greek salad on a white plate with a blue napkin on the side.
    Kale Greek Salad
  • Red leaf salad on black plate with red lettuce leaves and rosemary stems on the side as well as a small bowl with honey.
    Ravishing Red Leaf Salad
  • Asian wombok salad with a chilli garnish on a black platter with bok choy leaves and chillies on the side.
    Asian Wombok Salad
  • Cantaloupe salad in navy plate with green grapes in background.
    Cantaloupe Melon Salad

About Anastasia Papapetros

Anastasia has been passionate about cooking since she was eight years old, and hasn't left the kitchen since! With over a decade of experience running her own coffee shop and catering business, Anastasia has developed a true love for salads - especially for family get-togethers and friends' functions. She's the go-to for bringing the perfect salad to any occasion!

Reader Interactions

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Photo of Anastasia.

Hi, I'm Anastasia! Let me show you how to transform your salads from boring and limp to bright, fresh and exciting using in-season fresh produce.

More about me →

Our Latest Posts

  • Green and red cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts cooked, cut and raw on a wooden surface.
    What Goes Well With Cabbage

  • Three different types of cabbage halves with a shreds in front on a wooden board.
    How to Cut Cabbage for Slaw

  • A pile of different types of cabbages.
    Discover 10 Cabbage Varieties (NEW)

  • Oregano vinaigrette in a small blue ceramic bowl with dried oregano, sprigs and a small olive oil jug on the side.
    Easy Oregano Vinaigrette

Welcome

ANASTASIA FROM SALADS WITH ANASTASIA

Hi, I’m Anastasia,
Let me show you how to transform your salads from boring and limp to bright, fresh and exciting using in-season produce.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Looking for a recipe?

Greek Salad Collection

NARROW PICS OF VARIOUS GREEK SALADS WITH A TEXT OVERLAY

Cheesy Salad Collection

Various salads with cheese and a text overlay.

Green Salad Collection

VARIETY OF GREEN SALADS WITH TEXT OVERLAY

Asian Salads

ASIAN SALAD COLLECTION WITH TEXT OVERLAY

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Site Credits
  • Contact Me

Get our guide for common salad fails and their fixes...

Recipes & Tools

  • Salads
  • Dressings
  • Spices & Condiments
  • Salad Tools
  • How to Guides
  • What's in Season

Copyright © 2024 · Salads with Anastasia · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsOKAY
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.