Couscous Mediterranean Salad combines fluffy couscous, toasted almonds, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh veggies, all tied together with a flavorful lemon dressing.
authorโs note
This Couscous Salad Has a Fan Club!
Itโs no secret I love adding quinoa to salads. (Caprese Quinoa Salad,ย Thai Quinoa Salad, and Sweet Potato-Quinoa Salad are all on repeat at my house.) But today Iโm switching things up with couscous instead of quinoa!
This isnโt my first couscous salad. Greek Couscous Salad has been a top favorite on the site this year. I guess Iโm not the only one who loves a big, hearty salad!
When I first tested this recipe, my sister tried it at my house and couldnโt stop raving about it. She snapped a photo of my messy notebook recipe and made it the next day for a dinner party. After getting tons of requests for the recipe, she said I had to share it. So here it is, straight from my notebook to you!
Couscous Mediterranean Salad Ingredients
- Couscous: Super quick to make! Itโs ready in 10 mins or less!
- Baby Spinach: Chop it roughly so it mixes well with the couscous and other ingredients. Plus, itโs easier to eat that way!
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Go for cut tomatoes packed in olive oil and herbs. Skip the dry-packed ones.
- Cucumbers: Use English (or mini) cucumbers. They taste better and arenโt as watery as regular ones.
- Almonds: Toast sliced almonds in a pan for more flavor, or use store-bought candied almonds for a shortcut. Honey-roasted almonds are my fave!
Lemon Dressing
This tangy, sweet dressing is made with Dijon mustard, lemon juice, dried basil, vinegar, and olive oil. Itโs fresh and tasty, great for salads or veggies.
- Add Slowly: Start with a little dressing and add more to the Couscous Mediterranean Salad if needed. Leftover dressing keeps for a week in the fridge.
- Use Fresh Lemons: Fresh juice tastes better. Add lemon zest for more flavor.
- Extra Dressing: Use it on roasted veggies or as a dip.
Quick Tip
If the dressing gets solid in the fridge, let it sit out for 20 mins and shake well.
Variations
Make Couscous Mediterranean Salad Your Own
This salad is easy to change things up! Try these ideas:
- Couscous Swap: Use quinoa instead.
- Nuts: Leave out almonds or try the salad with toasted walnuts or pecans.
- Tomatoes: Add cherry tomatoes cut in half instead of sun-dried tomatoes.
- Veggies: Try olives, roasted red peppers, or bell peppers.
- Make It Creamy: Add avo or feta for extra flavor and to make it creamy.
chelseaโs recipe tip
How I Serve Mediterranean Couscous Salad
- Seafood: Pair with blackened shrimp, salmon, or baked cod.
- Bread: Warm flatbread or pita is perfect for scooping.
- Soup: A light tomato-basil or creamy vegetable soup goes well.
- Stuffed Peppers: Serve alongside bell peppers filled with ground meat.
- Serve On The Side: I love this One Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies as the main course.
Storage
Leftovers?
Once dressed, this Couscous Mediterranean Salad doesnโt keep well. The dressing softens the spinach, couscous, and almonds.
To store, keep the salad and dressing separate. Mix them together just before eating.
More Salad Recipes:
Couscous Mediterranean Salad
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous see note 1
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes coarsely chopped, see note 2
- 2 cups English cucumber coined and halved, see note 3
- 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach coarsely chopped, 6 cups
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- Feta cheese optional
- 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructionsย
- Prepare couscous according to package directions. Add the suggested amount of salt (1/4 teaspoon). Fluff with a fork and refrigerate to cool.
- Coarsely chop sun-dried tomatoes. Slice and halve cucumbers. Coarsely chop spinach.
- Optional: Add almonds to a dry pan (no oil) over medium-high heat. Stir every 15 seconds for 1โ3 minutes until they darken slightly and smell fragrant. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Zest lemons to get 1 teaspoon zest. Juice lemons to get 3 tablespoons of juice. Combine lemon juice and all dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Season (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Shake to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to use, and shake again before dressing the salad.
- Add spinach to a large bowl and top with cooled couscous. Toss gently. Add sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, and toasted almonds. Add the vinaigrette (as desired) and toss to coat. Sprinkle with feta cheese if using. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Can I make this a day in advance, without adding dressing or almonds. Or will cucumbers and spinach get watery?
Iโd store everything separately, the cucumbers and spinach should be okay if they are very fresh!
I made this tonight for dinner. My wide and I loved it. Simple and can be served as a side or a salad, quite refreshing. Go easy on the dressing.
So happy to hear you both enjoyed this salad! Thanks for the comment and review ๐
I canโt wait to make this for lunches! I always have quinoa on hand in the pantry so Iโll probably use that. Iโm on a big sun-dried tomato kick lately too! YUM ๐