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Simple Vegetable Couscous Salad with Feta Cheese is a quick and simple pasta side salad. Made with light and fluffy quick-cooking Moroccan couscous, it is filled with crisp and delicious vegetables and grapes. Feta cheese and black olives add a salty bite.
This simple vegetable couscous salad is quick and has a simple preparation. You can mix up the vegetables and fruit and add what you have on hand.
Ingredients
This salad's base is couscous.
Add a variety of vegetables, including English cucumber, tomato, carrot, celery, and green onions. If you have them, add bell pepper or fresh baby spinach. Vegetables that are available all year.
Mix it up with grapes. Alternatively, add a handful of golden raisins.
Feta cheese and black olives add a salty bite.
A light dressing of white wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic salt, basil, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper completes the salad.
Instructions
Step 1. Heat broth to a boil. Add garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, and pepper to the broth. Add couscous and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes and fluff. Let cool.
Step 2. Whisk white wine vinegar and olive oil in a bowl. Add garlic salt, dried basil, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Whisk all dressing ingredients together until combined in dressing.
Step 3. Add couscous to a large bowl and drizzle with dressing. Add vegetables and grapes and toss to combine.
Step 4. Cover salad and refrigerate for 2 hours. When ready to serve, fluff with a spoon prior to serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Often thought of as a grain, couscous is a type of pasta. 1
There are 3 types of couscous:
Moroccan couscous is the smallest form, cooks the fastest, and is ready in 5 minutes with just a fluff of your fork. This is the most common form of couscous and what I use in this recipe.
Israeli couscous is also referred to as pearl couscous. It is larger than Moroccan couscous and takes a bit longer to cook but not too long. It is ready in just about 10 minutes.
Lebanese couscous is the largest form of couscous. It has a soft and chewy texture.
Most couscous available in Western markets is Moroccan couscous. It is usually pre-steamed and then dried. It cooks in just 5 minutes.
Preparation is easy. Boil water or broth with spices. Add couscous pasta and cover. Remove pan from heat. After 5 minutes, fluff with a fork, and it's ready for your recipe.
What to Serve with Couscous Salad
This is a versatile side dish to serve with chicken or burgers. Consider serving with Grilled Chicken Kabobs, Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts, or your favorite grilled burgers.
Add chopped chicken, and it makes a great lunch the next day.
Other Healthy Side Salads for You
Salads
Vegetable Couscous Salad
Ingredients
Couscous
- 3 cups couscous cooked
- 1 1/4 cup broth chicken or vegetable
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Vegetables
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 1/2 cup english cucumber chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots chopped
- 1/2 cup tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup grapes halved
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/2 cup black olives sliced
- 1/2 cup green onion chopeed
Dressing
- 2 tbps olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tbsp vinegar white wine
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- cayenne pepper
Instructions
Couscous
- Heat broth, garlic powder, onion powder, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and pepper to a boil.
- Add couscous and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes and fluff.
Dressing
- Add all dressing ingredients together and whisk.
Salad
- Add couscous to a large bowl and drizzle with dressing.
- Toss in vegetables and serve.
Nutrition
April 2022 Update: Added Ingredient, and Recipes for You sections.
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