• Home
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • About

Wee Little Vegans

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
×
Home » Recipes » Salads

Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad

Published: Aug 1, 2023 by Melissa

↓ Jump to Recipe

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!

Close up over head view of Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad in a bowl.

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.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Substitutions
  • Variations
  • Equipment
  • Storage
  • Top tip
  • FAQ
  • Related
  • Pairing
  • Recipe
  • Food safety

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.

Top view of ingredients for Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad.
  • 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!

Close up top view of dressing in a measuring cup.

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, zest, dried basil, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.

Top view of cooked couscous in a pot.

Cook pearl couscous according to package instructions. Allow to cool.

Ingredients for Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad in a bowl before being tossed to incorporate.

In a large bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, spinach, green olives, cooled couscous and half of the vegan feta. Toss gently to combine.

Over head view of dressing being poured onto Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad.

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

How long does couscous salad keep?

Store pearl couscous salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Why do you have to rinse couscous?

There's no need to rinse couscous. To prevent the grains from sticking add vegan butter or oil to the pot while cooking.

Is couscous allowed on Mediterranean diet?

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:

  • Apple Pecan and Greens Salad on a gray plate sitting on a round wooden board.
    Apple Pecan Greens Salad
  • Nectarine Summer Squash Pasta Salad
  • Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Salad
  • Brussels Sprout Pomegranate Salad

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad:

  • Vegan Tomato Flatbread
  • Top view of Baked Lemon & Herb Crusted Tofu on a bed of spinach and a side of asparagus on a white plate
    Baked Lemon & Herb Crusted Tofu
  • Breaded Tofu Sticks
  • Top view of several Vegan Cheesy Potato Stacks on a white serving plate with a light mint colored background.
    Vegan "Cheesy" Potato Stacks

Recipe

Close up top view of Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad (Feature Image)

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

Melissa
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!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Course Salad
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

Dressing:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 1-2 tsp dried basil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

  • 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.

Instructions
 

Dressing:

  • 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.
    ¼ cup olive oil, 1 lemon, zest and juice, 1-2 teaspoon dried basil, salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

  • 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.
    8 ounce pearl couscous
  • In a large bowl, toss together cooled couscous, chickpeas, spinach, cucumber, tomato, olives and half of the vegan feta.
    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, ½ cup vegan feta
  • Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Add remaining vegan feta.
  • You can serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour to allow flavors to meld.
  • Store any leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge.
Keyword dairy free, healthy, vegan

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

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

ALT TEXT HERE
ALT TEXT HERE
ALT TEXT HERE
ALT TEXT HERE

More Salads

  • Top view of Simple Vegan Cucumber Salad on a white serving plater with spoon.
    Simple Vegan Cucumber Salad
  • Top view of Vegan Kimchi Potato Salad on a white serving plate with a spoon.
    Vegan Kimchi Potato Salad
  • Top view of Vegan BLT Salad in a white bowl with wooden serving utensils.
    Vegan BLT Salad
  • Top view of Simple Vegan Croutons in a bowl on a wood board.
    How to Make Simple Vegan Croutons

Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Hi, I'm Melissa!

Longtime vegan and mom of four little vegans. I share simple recipes our family loves and my tips for raising healthy, happy vegan kids.

About me

Summer Recipes

  • Vegan Burger Bowl Feature Image
    Vegan Burger Bowl
  • Vegan Banana Pudding Feature Image
    Vegan Banana Pudding
  • Vegan Peach Cobbler Feature Image
    Vegan Peach Cobbler
  • Black Bean Quinoa Burgers Feature Image
    Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

Popular

  • Vegan Vanilla Wafers Feature Image
    Vegan Vanilla Wafers
  • Vegan Banana Flavored Pudding Feature Image
    Vegan Banana Flavored Pudding
  • Easter Dirt Cups Feature Image
    Easter Dirt Cups
  • Close up of Carrot Oatmeal Cookie on a baking sheet-feature image.
    Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

Sign Up! for emails and updates + receive a 7 day weekly meal plan with complete shopping list.

Contact

  • Contact
  • About

Copyright © 2025 Wee Little Vegans

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT