It really doesn’t get much fresher than this. This salad is so light and refreshing, it’s brimming with crisp veggies, fresh herbs, tangy feta and tossed with a vibrant lemon dressing. It has so much texture, and would be great as a side or paired with seafood or chicken for a main dish.
To make the best, most flavorful salad, add the vinaigrette to the couscous while it is still warm. When couscous is warm, it soaks up all the flavor from the dressing. For this salad, I’m adding one of my favorite dressings, it’s a simple light vinaigrette. All you need is extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, dried oregano and salt and pepper. Whisk everything together until creamy, and then season with salt and pepper before adding to warm couscous.
To make the couscous, follow the instructions on the packaging. I used THIS one. When water is absorbed (about 5 minutes) make sure to fluff couscous with a fork before adding vinaigrette and allowing to cool.
Once cooled, mix in vegetables, garbanzo beans, fresh herbs and feta.
This salad is simple, fast and tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant. You can even make it ahead of time.
Make Ahead Tips
This is delicious when eaten straight away, but you can make it ahead of time. If you are planning to make this a day or two ahead of time, make sure to package all the ingredients separately in airtight containers and refrigerate. To make sure the salad is fresh and crisp, wait to combine ingredients before serving.
It’s definitely another salad to add to the rotation!
This salad is so light and refreshing, it’s brimming with crisp veggies, fresh herbs, tangy feta and tossed with a vibrant lemon dressing. It has so much texture, and would be great as a side or paired with seafood or chicken for a main dish.
¾ cup diced English cucumber, seeds removed, ¼ -inch diced
¾ cup diced red bell pepper, 1/8-inch diced
½ cup minced red onion, 1/8-inch diced
½ cup black olives, diced
3 tablespoons feta cheese crumbles
1.5 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
1.5 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped
1.5 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Lemon Dressing
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Lemon Dressing
Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until thickened dressing forms. Set aside.
Couscous
Bring water and olive oil to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous and stir quickly. Remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes until water is absorbed.
Fluff with a fork, pour dressing over warm couscous and stir to combine. Set aside and let cool.
Salad
Combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, garbanzo beans, red onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in couscous. Mix in olives, cheese, parsley, mint and basil. Stir until combined well, serve immediately.
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Category:Salad
Cuisine:Mediterranean
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