Spring Couscous Salad (Printable version)
Light Mediterranean couscous with crisp vegetables and zesty lemon-herb dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup couscous
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced
08 - 1/2 cup snap peas, sliced diagonally
09 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
10 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
12 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
→ Dressing
13 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
14 - Juice and zest of 1 lemon
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
17 - 1/2 tsp honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Combine couscous, boiling water, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the radishes, cut snap peas diagonally, and finely chop the red onion. Chop the parsley, mint, and dill.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and zest, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until fully emulsified.
04 - Add cooled couscous, prepared vegetables, and fresh herbs to a large mixing bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly combined.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The dressing hits every perfect note at once, bright herby and just a little sweet
- You can prep everything ahead and it actually tastes better after sitting
02 -
- Hot couscous will turn your fresh herbs brown and sad within minutes
- The dressing needs at least 30 minutes to really soak into the grains
03 -
- Use a microplane for the garlic so it practically melts into the dressing
- Save a handful of fresh herbs to scatter on top right before serving