Are you looking for a simple yet versatile salad? Look no further, this vegetable couscous salad is perfect! It's easy to meal prep, can act as a side dish or even light dinner, and it's even vegetarian!
Vegetable couscous salad is packed full of healthy ingredients, so you can feel good about what you are eating.
Drizzled with a vinaigrette, this salad is not only light and tasty but filled with green cucumber crescents and radishes, adding vibrant color to every bite. I love to use this creamy apple cider vinaigrette, but you can use whatever vinaigrette or dressing you like.
Salads are the ideal dish to make head for quick meals during the week! They're also easy to change up to use vegetables you have on hand or to try out different flavors to keep your taste buds happy.
Looking for more new salads to add to the lineup? I love this Berry and Nut Salad, it's loaded with so much goodness! For a heartier option, this Shrimp Buddha Bowl which isn't actually a salad, but with all the veggies in it, it might as well be!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Made with simple, fresh, wholesome ingredients.
- A healthy meal which doubles as a quick side dish or hearty main course meal.
- Takes just minutes to make.
Ingredients
- Israeli Couscous: This type of couscous is larger than the average or regular couscous, with a soft chewy texture, picture tiny little pearls of pasta! It has a very satisfying texture, I know it won’t disappoint if you give it a try!
- Fresh Asparagus: Choose firm, green spears with fresh looking tips.
- Cucumber: Crisp cucumber slices add a nice crunchiness to the salad.
- Sugar snap peas: These crisp green pods are a cross between snow peas and garden peas.
- Artichoke Hearts: I prefer to use canned or jarred artichokes in a brine.
- Radishes: Add a bit of sharp, peppery flavor to the salad.
If you want to cook more great dishes with Israeli couscous, try this pearled couscous salad with roasted vegetables or this couscous kale salad.
How to Make Vegetable Couscous Salad
Here's an overview of what goes into making vegetable couscous salad. Check the recipe card for the detailed instructions.
- We're going to start with toasting the couscous. Heat the pan over medium heat with butter, add the dried couscous, and then toast until golden brown.
- Add the water, I use water instead of stock because a lot of flavors are added later in the dressing. The liquid will cook out and absorb into the couscous and you are left with the perfect texture.
TOP TIP: Give it a rinse after cooking. I like to rinse mine with cool water after it cooks to cool it down and also remove some of the starch from the outside of the pearled couscous.
- Wash your asparagus and chop off the tough ends.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I used Moire's Life for my olive oil, as I just love it! Roast until it is barely tender. Don't overdo it!
How much you need to cut off depends on the size of the asparagus and how tough the ends are. Generally if it is pretty thick, I will cut a few inches off. The thinner, more tender asparagus doesn't need much taken off.
- Combine all the ingredients and drizzle generously with vinaigrette dressing.
How to Store
It is delicious served the day of or you can use it for meal prep as well. It holds well for up to 3 days in the fridge.
The couscous will absorb a lot of the dressing though, so it might dry a little in a few days. If this happens, make another half batch of the dressing and drizzle again.
I do not recommend freezing vegetable couscous salad.
Expert Tips
- Serve it with this homemade red wine vinaigrette or your favorite dressing.
- Toasting the couscous gives it more depth of flavor.
- Don't overcook the asparagus, it works better a bit on the crunchy side in salads!
- Serve up right away with warm asparagus and couscous or let everything cool and serve it up cold.
FAQs
Yes or course, and you can even toast it just like the larger pearled couscous. Just be sure to check the package for instructions because it takes much less time to cook.
Yep definitely! Use your favorite combination of roasted, steamed, or fresh vegetables in your vegetable couscous salad.
More Salad Recipes
Do you love salads like I do? Let me give you a few other suggestions I have posted recently. There are a lot of great options here, so look around!
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Simple Vegetable Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Israeli couscous
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 pounds asparagus spears
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups cucumbers, sliced
- 1 ½ cups spring peas, cut in thirds
- ¾ cup radishes, cut into wedges
- ½ batch red wine vinaigrette or desired amount
- ½-3/4 cup halved artichokes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- While the oven is preheating, heat your skillet over medium heat. Add butter and allow it to melt and heat with the pan. Add your couscous. Mix for a few minutes, allowing the couscous to toast. Next pour in your water, be careful as it will steam quite a bit. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir occasionally until it has absorbed all the liquid.
- While it is cooking, cut the tough ends off your asparagus. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Move to the oven and bake until it is just tender. Don't overdo it!
- The asparagus and couscous should finish at about the same time. You can either serve this warm or allow the asparagus to cool and rinse the couscous with cold water.
- Combine all ingredients and drizzle generously with the red wine vinaigrette.
- It is delicious served the day of, or you can use it for meal prep as well. It holds well for up to 3 days. The couscous will absorb a lot of the dressing though, so it might dry a little in a few days. If this happens, make another half batch of the dressing and drizzle again.
- Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Notes
- Serve it with this homemade red wine vinaigrette or your favorite dressing.
- Toasting the couscous gives it more depth of flavor.
- Don't overcook the asparagus, it works better a bit on the crunchy side in salads!
- Serve up right away with warm asparagus and couscous or let everything cool and serve it up cold.