This Mediterranean Pearl Couscous Salad is loaded with veggies and tossed in a Green Goddess Dressing. The flavors are light, refreshing and perfect for Summer. Plus, it's ready to eat in just 30 minutes.
I'm always trying variations of pasta salads, and this is my current obsession. I love a "spoonable salad" with the ingredients cut so small you can just scoop them right up, and this is just that!
Pearl couscous is really similar to pasta and it's so tender in this recipe. It pairs perfectly with radish, cucumber, artichoke and more for the best Summer side dish!
Pair this recipe with these Boneless Smoked Chicken Thighs, Teriyaki Chicken Burgers, or Coconut Cod Fish.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Fresh and Healthy. A no guilt salad that will satisfy those Summer cravings using lots of Summer produce.
- Quick. Ready to eat in just 30 minutes.
- Easy to Make. Couscous is just like boiling pasta and so simple to make.
- Unique. No one will be expecting a pasta salad like this one. It's sure to impress.
For another Spoonable Salad, try this Dense Bean Salad.
Ingredients:
Pearl Couscous: Make sure you buy "Pearl" because other versions of couscous won't work well for this recipe.
Mini Cucumbers: These are also called Persian or Baby Cucumbers and I love them because they are really crisp without a lot of seeds.
Fresh Herbs: For the best tasting dressing, use fresh herbs for this recipe. It's really what makes this salad so fresh and delicious.
*Find the full recipe ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations:
- If you can't find the mini cucumbers, one English cucumber will work too. Both are less seedy and less watery than regular cucumbers.
- You can skip the chicken stock and use broth or water if needed, but I like the flavor it brings to the couscous.
If you love Mediterranean recipes, try this Mediterranean Chopped Salad, Chicken Tzatziki Bowls, Lemon Chicken Thighs, and Chicken Couscous.
How to Make Pearl Couscous Salad:
Step 1: In a pot on the stovetop over high heat, bring the water and chicken stock to a boil. Pour in pearl couscous and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes until the liquid absorbs and the couscous is tender.
Step 2: Pour the couscous into a stainer and rinse with cold water. Store in the fridge, while you cut up ingredients and prepare the dressing.
Step 3: To make the Green Goddess Dressing: Into a blender, add in Greek yogurt, olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, cilantro, parsley, dill, chive and basil. Blend on high, then pulse until completely smooth.
Step 4: Into a large serving bowl, add in the cold couscous, then radish, peppers, onion, cucumber, artichokes, peppers. Toss to combine. Add in dressing and toss again.
Step 5: Top with crumbled feta. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Try to shake as much water out of the couscous as possible before adding to the serving dish.
- Really blend the dressing well. We don't want big chunks of garlic or herbs.
If you love pearl couscous, check out these Couscous Stuffed Peppers and Mushroom Couscous.
Storage:
Store the leftover salad sealed in the fridge for 1-2 days. This salad tastes best fresh because the dressing absorbs into the couscous, but I still like how it tastes leftover a day or 2 after.
More Salad Recipes To Try:
If you tried this Pearl Couscous Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Pearl Couscous Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: About 6-7 cups 1x
Description
This Mediterranean Pearl Couscous Salad is loaded with veggies and tossed in a Green Goddess Dressing. The flavors are light, refreshing and perfect for Summer. Plus, it's ready to eat in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry pearl couscous
- 1 and ½ cup water
- 1 and ½ cup chicken stock
- 4 mini cucumbers, quartered and diced
- 13 ounce can quartered artichokes, drained and chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, diced fine
- ½ cup bell pepper (any color), diced fine
- 5 radish, stems removed, then halved and sliced thin on the mandoline
- ½ cup crumbled feta
Green Goddess Dressing:
- ½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt (0,1, or 2%)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Juice from 1 large lemon
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chives, minced
- 8 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- In a pot on the stovetop over high heat, bring the water and chicken stock to a boil. Pour in pearl couscous and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes until the liquid absorbs and the couscous is tender.
- Pour the couscous into a stainer and rinse with cold water. Store in the fridge, while you cut up ingredients and prepare the dressing.
- To make the Green Goddess Dressing: Into a blender, add in Greek yogurt, olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, cilantro, parsley, dill, chive and basil. Blend on high, then pulse until completely smooth.
- Into a large serving bowl, add in the cold couscous, then radish, peppers, onion, cucumber, artichokes, peppers. Toss to combine. Add in dressing and toss again.
- Top with crumbled feta. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Try to shake as much water out of the couscous as possible before adding to the serving dish.
- Really blend the dressing well. We don't want big chunks of garlic or herbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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