Also known as Pearl or Gourmet Couscous, Israeli Couscous is the giant forms of the more common tiny couscous. With a taste and texture almost like pasta, but a unique pearly, slippery surface, it makes a fabulous side or salad. This Israeli Couscous Salad is utterly addictive! (And I love that it can be eaten with a spoon).
Israeli Couscous Salad
The immature child within wants to call this a Giant Couscous Salad. But the proper name is Israeli Couscous Salad, so I went with sensible. But now I’m kind of regretting it!
Israeli Couscous is the big brother of the more common tiny couscous. Commonly mistaken as a grain, couscous is actually a type of pasta, and is ideal used in salads like in this recipe, or as a side like in this Syrian chicken.
While the tiny couscous can be prepared by soaking in hot water, Israeli Couscous needs to be simmered on the stove. In my view, the most delicious way to do this is to cook it like risotto, starting with sautéed garlic and onion then using broth instead of water. This infuses the couscous with so much flavor, you can even serve it plain as a side.
It just dawned of me while writing this up that this salad looks alarmingly similar to the Sexy Lentil Salad I only shared a couple of weeks ago. I even use the same Lemon Dressing, and both use tomatoes and cucumbers.
And they are both salads made with small beady things. (Yes, I’m aware my creative writing skills need serious work. “Beady”????)
But I promise you – a million times over – that is where the similarities finish. This Israeli Couscous Salad is quite different to the Sexy Lentil Salad – not least because I went with a sensible name for this salad and a cheeky name for the latter. 😉 Lentils taste nutty. Giant couscous tastes like pasta. And I’ve given this salad a Mediterranean spin.
So while the obvious pairing would be with all things Mediterranean, I especially love serving this with Middle Eastern spiced things – like Chicken Shawarma which is pictured below. It works really well because the bright fresh flavours of the Israeli Couscous Salad are a terrific contrast to the earthy, complex flavours of Middle Eastern flavours. Plus, it’s carbs and a salad in one.
Other similar spiced mains include Middle Eastern Lamb Koftas and Turkish Koftas. I also think it would be stellar with Greek Meatballs, yoghurt marinated Greek Chicken (skip the wraps in the Gyros) or even Slow Roasted Greek Lamb. Gosh, I didn’t realise until now how many Greek recipes I’ve done! See them all here. 🙂
There is a deceptively large amount of greens packed into this salad. Because the beads of couscous are so small relative to, for example, pasta, there’s a lot more “stuff” for veggies to be stirred into. I’m not really explaining it very well! But if (WHEN!!!) you make this, you’ll feel like there’s a ton of greens for just 1.5 cups of couscous, but the couscous expands when cooking and once it’s all tossed together, it seems like just the right amount.
Hidden veggies!
Salad that can be eaten with a spoon!
Why does it feel so immature that this appeals to me so much??? – Nagi xx
MORE SUMMER SALADS to take to gatherings
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Coleslaw
- Potato Salad and Lemon Potato Salad
- Wild Rice Salad <– reader fave!
- Everybody’s favourite Macaroni Salad
- Caprese Salad
- 12 Minute Sun Dried Tomato Couscous Salad
- Browse all Pasta Salads and Rice Salad
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Israeli Couscous Salad
Ingredients
Couscous:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- ½ small onion , finely chopped
- 250 g / 8 oz / 1.5 cups Israeli Couscous (Note 1)
- 1 ½ cups / 375 ml vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup / 250 ml water
Salad:
- 2 cucumbers , diced (about 2 cups)
- 250 g / 8 oz cherry tomatoes , halved (about 2 cups)
- 3 cups baby spinach , finely sliced (Note 2)
- ¼ cup coriander / cilantro , finely chopped (or sub with parsley)
- ¼ cup dill , finely chopped
Lemon Dressing (Note 3):
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 tsp sugar , optional
- ½ tsp salt + black pepper
Instructions
Couscous:
- Heat oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.
- Add couscous and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add broth and water, place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low.
- Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm. Use a fork to separate the couscous, then transfer into a large bowl to cool. (Don’t worry if it gets sticky, it will separate when tossed with Dressing).
Salad:
- Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.
- Add Salad ingredients into the bowl, pour over Dressing and toss. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Israeli Couscous recipe video. I need a serious dose of this when I get back to Sydney – undo all the NYC indulgence!
LIFE OF DOZER
Teamwork! 😂 (Dozer on the left, his “sister” Aggie on the right who is part of the family of Golden Retrievers he is staying with while I am away.)
I have always steered clear of cous cous…the family never enjoyed it BUT that was when you just added a but of butter and served!
Well after trying this recipe I just wanted to eat if hot as it cooked..it was so tasty.
Really enjoyed this salad…served it with Greek souvlaki chicken and then leftovers with salmon as another meal.
Another great RTE recipe to add to my RTE collection.
Thx Nagi 😊
Omg this is very good! Thank you Nagi for all your super tasty and easy recipes – Recipe Tin Eats is my always go to for dinner idea! Hi from Sydney 👋
I’ve made this a couple of times at home. It’s a great side and pairs well with grilled shrimp, salmon, or ahi tuna. The only negative I have with this recipe is personal, hence only 4 stars. I can’t abide the smell, let alone the taste of cucumbers. (This is due to disturbing memories from my childhood of a particularly venomous snake that smells like cucumbers.) Instead, I add some quick-pickled red onion.
And, Nagi, your creative writing skills don’t need any work: they are both small beady things—a perfect description!
I made this last night. I served it with the lamb kofta.
The flavours for the salad were ab fab! We ate the leftovers tonight and the salad flavours were even more developed. Great stuff. Thank you.
Thank you for this super easy, fresh, delicious salad! I made it for a BBQ and it was a hit. Super easy and the pearl couscous makes it something different from the usual. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thanks so much Kate!!! N x
Hi Nagi,
I tried few of your recipes,honestly it’s amazing and it’s very tasty.My family love it.Thank you for sharing the recipes😘
Delicious! Made it so many times
Wow Nagi , this is so delicious!!
The addition of the dill is so good .
And the dressing is just yum.
Maybe not quite as healthy as your wonderful lentil salad but just as delicious 😄
I love the freshness dill adds – I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sue ☺️
Another delicious recipe, Nagi. Thank you for it. I made some alterations for ingredients that I had available. I chopped up baby arugula instead of spinach. I added chopped mint instead of dill because I found the mint first in my fridge! I added thinly sliced carrots for extra color and crunch. I was going to add toasted pine nuts, but forgot. Though I made the amount that makes four servings, I felt it was more like five servings, so I divided it up and layered all the ingredients in containers for lunches. I did not add the dressing until I was ready to eat it. Three days of deliciousness later, my two remaining containers look as fresh as the day I assembled the salad. It takes very little dressing to add a lot of flavor. A bit of raw onion in the salad might be good – I will try that in the remaining two containers. Another YUM!
Sounds like you nailed it Casey!!