Pearl Couscous Salad

A dish of Israeli couscous salad dressed with tzatziki sauce in a small white bowl on a wooden surface.

This pearl couscous salad (or Israeli couscous salad) is dressed with homemade tzatziki sauce making it creamier and richer-feeling than a vinaigrette-based salad. Packed with Mediterranean flavors like tomato, lemon, feta cheese, and mixed Greek olives, not to mention tons of refreshing cucumber, this is a salad you'll make again and again, and I encourage you to vary it to suit your taste and your family's taste as well.

This recipe makes a ton, so if you don't want a ton of couscous salad, the amounts for a half recipe are in the Notes section below.

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 8

Chill Time 2

Total Time 2 33

Servings -10 servings

Calories 348kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Ingredients

For the Tzatziki

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup fruity olive oil
1 Tablespoon honey
3 cloves garlic minced
salt & pepper to taste
zest of 2 lemons
2-3 teaspoons Greek seasoning bruised or roughly ground in a mortar and pestle
A big handful of basil mint, and dill, washed and minced
½ English cucumber grated

For the Couscous

2 cups pearl couscous
2 Tablespoon olive oil
about 3 cups water chicken broth or vegetable broth
salt & pepper to taste

To Finish the Salad

½ English cucumber split lengthwise into quarter and then cut into quarter-moons about 1/4" thick
6-8 oz grape tomatoes halved
½ large red onion finely diced
1 15 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
½ cup Greek olives drained and minced (or cut into rings if you like larger pieces of olives)
4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

For the Tzatziki Sauce

In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and Greek seasoning. Whisk until smooth.
Thoroughly stir in the herbs and shredded cucumber. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, and refrigerate until needed.

To Toast and Cook the Couscous

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, tilting to coat.
Add the dry couscous to the pan and stir well to coat it with the oil.
Alternate between allowing the couscous to toast/fry in the oil for about 30 seconds and stirring with a wooden spoon until the couscous starts to take on a golden color.
As the couscous begins to color, stir more frequently as the browning will accelerate.
Keep an eye on it, stirring almost constantly as the couscous gets to a medium golden brown.
Add the water or broth to cover the couscous by about 1/2-3/4", bring it to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.
Put a lid on the pan and allow the couscous to cook for about 7 minutes on medium-low heat.
If using an electric stove, turn off the heat and let the couscous steam in the hot pan for 5 minutes. If you have a gas stove, turn the flame down to the lowest possible setting for 5 minutes.
If there is any water/broth left in the pan, carefully drain it all off and then stir the couscous with a fork to fluff it up a bit. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir it occasionally to help it cool down evenly as you finish the rest of the salad.

To Finish the Salad

Add the sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, rinsed and drained chickpeas and the crumbled feta to the bowl of couscous. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
Pour the tzatziki dressing evenly over the salad and gently but thoroughly fold everything together until evenly combined.
Taste the salad and, if needed, adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to several days. Stir well before serving.
Store leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

To Make a Half-Batch

For the Tzatziki

a little squirt of

For the Couscous

To Finish the Salad

Toasting the Couscous

You may be tempted to skip toasting the couscous. Don't skip it. Not only does the toasting add more flavor, but it also keeps the couscous from clumping together in one big mass as it cools down.

Q & A

Is couscous gluten-free?

No. It is made from semolina, which is a wheat flour. If you need to make a gluten-free version of this salad, substitute short or medium-grained rice for the couscous.

How long will this salad last?

This salad holds up surprisingly well in the fridge. It will be delicious for a good 5-6 days after making. I wouldn’t push it much farther than that, mainly because it will eventually get watery from the metric ton of cucumber that’s in it.

What’s the best way to store it?

Store leftovers in a tightly-sealing container in the fridge. For best flavor, let the servings temper for about 30 minutes before enjoying.

Nutrition