Mediterranean Pearl Couscous (Printable version)

Light and refreshing pearl couscous salad with Mediterranean vegetables, olives, and feta in oregano vinaigrette.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Grain

01 - 1 cup pearl couscous
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

→ Additions

07 - 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
08 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to make it:

01 - Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in pearl couscous.
02 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.
03 - Remove from heat and spread couscous on a baking sheet to cool for 10 minutes.
04 - While couscous cools, combine diced red bell pepper, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, and feta cheese in a large mixing bowl.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
06 - Add cooled couscous to the mixing bowl with vegetables. Pour dressing over and toss gently to combine.
07 - Fold in chopped parsley, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes bright and fresh but still fills you up without weighing you down on warm days.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better in the fridge as the flavors settle into each other.
  • It looks impressive enough for guests but requires zero fancy techniques or hard to find ingredients.
  • Leftovers pack beautifully for lunch and never get sad or soggy by midday.
02 -
  • Cooling the couscous on a baking sheet is non negotiable because dumping hot grains directly into the salad will wilt your vegetables and turn your feta into a melted mess.
  • If you skip rinsing the red onion and you're serving this to guests, someone will quietly suffer through sharp onion breath and never tell you.
  • Dress the salad only when you're ready to serve or store it, because dressing it too early makes everything soggy and sad by the next day.
03 -
  • Toast the dry couscous in a little olive oil before adding the broth for an even deeper nutty flavor that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • If you're making this ahead for a party, keep the dressing separate and toss everything together right before serving so it looks and tastes just made.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave ribbons of cucumber instead of dicing it for a fancier presentation that takes zero extra effort.
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