Mediterranean Couscous Salad Vegetables (Printable)
Fluffy couscous combined with fresh vegetables, herbs, and a bright lemon dressing for a refreshing dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Couscous
01 - 1 cup couscous
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
07 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
08 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
09 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
→ Fresh Herbs & Cheese
10 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
12 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
18 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large bowl, combine couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Pour boiling water over, stir, cover tightly, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
02 - While the couscous cools, cut all vegetables as directed.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Add tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, parsley, and mint to the cooled couscous. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to combine.
05 - Gently fold in crumbled feta cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- It comes together in under 30 minutes, leaving you time to actually relax before guests arrive.
- The bright lemon dressing wakes up every ingredient without requiring any cooking skills beyond boiling water.
- It sits beautifully in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep or bringing somewhere without stress.
02 -
- The five-minute rest for couscous is sacred—any longer and you get mush, any shorter and you get crunchy bits.
- Make the dressing while the couscous cools so everything is ready to combine at the same moment and nothing gets cold.
- If you're making this ahead for a picnic or party, hold the feta and herbs until just before serving; the acid in the dressing will soften the feta and turn the herbs slightly dark if they sit too long.
03 -
- Make your dressing in a jar with a tight lid and give it a vigorous shake instead of whisking—it emulsifies just as well and saves you a bowl.
- If your lemon is hard or you're worried it won't be juicy, microwave it for 15 seconds before cutting and squeezing; you'll get twice as much juice out of it.