Cucumber Lemon Couscous Salad (Printable)
Light couscous with cucumber, lemon, herbs and olive oil — ready in 25 minutes; perfect chilled or room temp.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup couscous (180 g)
02 - 1 cup water (240 ml)
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 large cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (about 15 g)
07 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped (about 5 g)
→ Dressing
08 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
09 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Optional Additions
13 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
# Directions:
01 - Bring the water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, stir in the couscous, cover tightly, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled couscous, diced cucumber, chopped red onion, parsley, and mint. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, and black pepper until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the couscous mixture and toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese if desired, taking care not to crush the tomatoes.
06 - Serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish or light main course.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The couscous absorbs the lemon dressing like a sponge, so every single forkful bursts with flavor instead of just the top layer.
- It travels beautifully for picnics and potlucks because nothing wilts or gets soggy in the time it takes to drive across town.
02 -
- Do not skip the cooling step for the couscous, because warm grains will wilt the herbs and make the cucumber rubbery within minutes.
- The dressing tastes overly tart on its own but mellows perfectly once it coats the couscous, so trust the process and do not add extra oil to soften it.
03 -
- Zest the lemon before juicing it and stir the zest into the couscous while it is still warm for an extra layer of citrus that permeates every bite.
- Toast the dry couscous in a tablespoon of olive oil for two minutes before adding the boiling water to give it a nutty depth most people never expect from such a simple grain.