This Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad is a delicious mix of fresh vegetables, salty olives, protein rich chickpeas and vegan feta tossed in a zippy lemon basil dressing. Full of flavor and texture so every bite is exciting!
Mediterranean Couscous Salad is super quick to make with minimal effort and so tasty! It's perfect for hot summer days, potlucks and get togethers as a yummy side dish or even a light main dish.
Try this salad paired with this amazing Tomato Flatbread for a hearty meal that satisfies. We love salads like this during the summer and another one of our favorites is this Nectarine Summer Squash Pasta Salad.
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Ingredients
Pearl couscous also known as Israeli couscous is a nutty, chewy pasta that pairs great with protein packed chickpeas, plenty of fresh vegetables, briny green olives and vegan feta for a wonderfully light summer meal.
- pearl couscous
- chickpeas
- cucumber
- tomato
- green olives
- spinach
- vegan feta
- olive oil
- lemon juice and zest
- dried basil
- salt & pepper
- red onion, optional
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This couscous salad is really simple to put together. Whisk up the dressing and cook the couscous before tossing everything all together. It's that easy!
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, zest, dried basil, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
Cook pearl couscous according to package instructions. Allow to cool.
In a large bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, spinach, green olives, cooled couscous and half of the vegan feta. Toss gently to combine.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your tastes. Add remaining feta. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate to allow flavors to meld.
Hint: spread cooked couscous on a large baking sheet to cool faster and to keep it from sticking together.
Substitutions
- Olives - instead of green olives, you can use kalamata, black or any other olive you like
- Couscous - use gluten free pasta instead of couscous to make this gluten free
- Vegan feta - if vegan feta is not available use this tofu crumble instead
Variations
- Spicy - add diced Serrano pepper for some heat
- Deluxe - add fresh basil leaves for more flavor and freshness
Equipment
There is no special equipment needed to make this salad. Only standard kitchen tools such as bowls, pot and utensils.
Storage
Store the salad in an air tight container in the fridge. Good for 3-4 days.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top tip
Don't overcook couscous! Overcooked couscous will become mushy and not hold up well in the salad.
FAQ
Store pearl couscous salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
There's no need to rinse couscous. To prevent the grains from sticking add vegan butter or oil to the pot while cooking.
The Mediterranean diet focuses on whole grains including farro, millet and brown rice as well as couscous and other types of pasta.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1-2 tsp dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounce pearl couscous
- 1 ½ cup cooked chickpeas
- 1 ½ cup fresh spinach, rough chopped
- 1 small cucumber, chopped small
- 1 roma tomato, chopped small
- ½ cup green olives, sliced or rough chop
- ½ red onion, diced optional
- ½ cup vegan feta I use Violife.
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In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, zest and juice of lemon, dried basil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
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Prepare couscous according to package instruction. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Transfer to a large rimmed tray or baking sheet and spread out to cool faster.
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In a large bowl, toss together cooled couscous, chickpeas, spinach, cucumber, tomato, olives and half of the vegan feta.
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Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Add remaining vegan feta.
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You can serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour to allow flavors to meld.
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Store any leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!