What Is Couscous Salad? The Light, Textural Meal That's Perfect For Summer

Next to colorful bowls of three-bean salad and over-the-top BLT pasta salad, you may be eager to add a fresh, new salad recipe to your lineup of summer favorites. Better yet, if you're up for building this new recipe around an unexpected yet easy-to-use ingredient, look no further than couscous. With its mild taste and springy texture, couscous serves as the perfect starting point for a multi-ingredient salad that highlights all your favorite flavors.

All you need to do is prepare your couscous, allow it to cool, and then mix it with an assortment of salad-specific toppings. While seemingly comparable to rice or quinoa, couscous doesn't actually count as a grain. Since couscous is composed of semolina flour and water, this unique food is more similar to orzo pasta than a heartier grain like bulgur. Therefore, when cooked, couscous has a lighter feel.

Given its universally mild taste, you can make a delicious salad with either Moroccan couscous, pearl or Israeli couscous, or Lebanese couscous. Moroccan couscous is the smallest of the three, takes very little time to prepare, and has an ultra-fluffy texture. While this variety may be the most convenient when it comes to cook time, both pearl and Lebanese couscous have a chewier bite. Depending on the other ingredients in your salad, you may enjoy the distinct texture of pearl or Lebanese couscous more. Either way, you have endless options when it comes to combining various ingredients and building a tasty, summer couscous salad.

Couscous salad is a perfect side dish since you can dress it up or down any way you want. For a simple warm weather salad, pair cooked couscous with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and a variety of fresh herbs. Add in crumbled feta or blue cheese, and then incorporate a few pickled components like briny olives or capers. You can also include a crunchy component like toasted almonds or pine nuts.

Alternatively, use couscous to make specific salads like Greek or Italian. For a refreshing Mediterranean salad, besides cucumber and tomato, add in chickpeas, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, and small balls of mozzarella cheese. For an Italian dish, use lots of herbs like oregano, basil, and fresh parsley along with chopped garlic.

Whichever assortment of fresh extras you decide to use, once all your ingredients (including cooked couscous) have been combined, add a small pour of homemade dressing to the mix. Combine olive oil with either red wine vinegar or lemon juice, and incorporate a few extras like prepared mustard, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. You can also use bacon grease to make a savory vinaigrette with the addition of apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard.

The best part about making a big bowl of refreshing couscous salad is that it can be eaten any time of day. Enjoy a small bowl for lunch or, for a heartier dinner, serve couscous salad alongside simple grilled chicken, steak, or vegetables.