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This couscous salad is filled with chopped tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and creamy feta, all tossed in a simple Greek dressing. An easy and healthy side dish or meal on its own!
When it comes to fresh and healthy recipes, I can never say no to some buffalo cauliflower bites, broccoli salad, and this Greek couscous salad.
There is nothing better than some delicious antipasto. While it’s delicious as part of a charcuterie board or appetizer platter, it’s even better when added to salads. As someone who loves a good Greek salad, this couscous twist on it takes it up another level.
Couscous salad was a common side dish during my childhood. It is such a versatile and blank slate, that can be dressed up in a plethora of ways. As someone who adores a fresh Greek salad, I wanted to combine to two and create a couscous salad recipe with a twist!
It’s loaded with incredible textures and flavors– salty olives, fresh tomatoes, creamy feta, with mouthfuls of fluffy couscous. It’s healthy and packed with nutrients, and takes no time to prepare. The homemade Greek salad dressing takes it to another level.
How do you make a Greek couscous salad
The Ingredients
- Couscous– Cook your couscous as per the package directions. Often they suggest adding butter after fluffing the couscous, but I recommend leaving it as it is, to make it easier to mix into the other ingredients (it won’t clump together!).
- Tomatoes– Use either Roma tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes.
- Cucumber– Persian cucumbers or Lebanese cucumbers, chopped finely.
- Red Onion– You MUST use red onion and not a white onion. The latter is too intense and will be too overpowering.
- Black Olives– A must for any good Greek salad! If possible, use sliced black olives, as they distribute better between the couscous.
- Feta cheese– I tried this with Greek feta and also a Vegan feta cheese (as pictured). You want to use feta cheese from a block, as it retains a more intense flavor.
- Olive oil– What good couscous salad doesn’t have olive oil as part of the dressing?
- Red wine vinegar– The vinegar must be red wine, for an authentic Greek salad dressing.
- Lemon juice– Brings out all the flavors and adds an extra tang.
- Oregano– A popular Greek spice, this takes the salad to another level!
- Salt and Pepper– To taste!
The Instructions
Start by making your salad dressing first. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together your olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste, then refrigerate. Prepare the actual salad by adding in your cooked couscous, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and crumbled feta cheese. Gently mix together, until everything is just combined. Pour the dressing all over the salad, and toss very well, until fully incorporated. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
Tips for the best couscous salad
- Make sure your couscous has been fluffed and cooled before adding it to the salad. Do not refrigerate it though, as we want it to be tender!
- Use flavored olive oil, like chili olive oil or garlic olive oil.
- Make this salad as part of meal prep! Prepare a big batch on the weekend and distribute between 5 containers. The dressing doesn’t need to be separated.
Couscous Salad Flavor Variations
- Protein– Add some plant based protein, like grilled tofu or a veggie burger. If you don’t follow a plant based diet, you can add some grilled chicken or salmon.
- Cheese– Not a fan of feta? No worries! Add some sharp cheddar cheese or even a sprinkle of parmesan.
- Vegetables– Amp up the vegetables by adding some chopped bell peppers, radishes, or even some parsley.
- Legumes– Another plant based protein option, add some chickpeas (garbanzo beans), black beans or kidney beans.
- Nuts– I personally love salads with nuts, so sprinkle some pine nuts or sliced almonds over it, for some added crunch.
How do you store Couscous Salad
Couscous salad should always be stored in the refrigerator. It not only retains extra flavor (like a stew or curry), but there is no chance of the feta cheese spoiling. Refrigerated salad will keep for up to 1 week.
Do not freeze the salad.
More Healthy Recipes to try
Healthy Greek Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked couscous gluten free, if needed
- 1/2 cup tomatoes diced
- 1/2 cup cucumbers chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese vegan, if needed
- 1/4 cup black olives sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the salad dressing, by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and dried oregano. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your fluffed couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, sliced olives, and red onion and mix well, until just combined.
- Pour the dressing over it and mix very well, until the dressing is fully incorporated into the salad. Serve immediately, or refrigerate.
Notes
Nutrition
A salad would be the last thing I’d order in Italy. 🙂 Just give me a pasta with a simple tomato sauce and I’d be more than happy.
Mediterranean couscous with a vegan cheese sounds divine. Looks fantastic Arman.
Thanks so much, Linda! YES. I had the best pasta there which was simply pasta with olive oil and garlic- SO GOOD!
Rumor has it I’ve come to be known as “the weird vegetarian” because I don’t like salad. Salad salad that is. All that leafy nnothingness … Grain salads have always been my favourites as they don’t give me the feeling of eating salad but something that’s actually substantial. If you serve me this: lettuce be friends [said in Alexis’ voice]! Just add some chickpeas to my serving.
Niki adds chickpeas to this and I add chicken- The best of both worlds! 🙂
What about spinach? Can I have spinach? Cause I load my bowl with it to make my salads like a mountain. Also to get some iron. Other than that I pile EVERYTHING and then some into my bowl, with chips or pretzels on the side. I have to have some salty crunch. Usually some bean, rice, avocado, tomato…and I’m happy. This looks so good. I now want to go to Italy.
I do enjoy spinach but it’s a mofo expensive veggie!
This looks so good! Where was this recipe when I needed to use up all my couscous?!
I know, right? Now that I’m moving I’m finding all these gems!
You could totally be my friend if you bring me this salad.
Also, I need to hookup for the Pope’s private herb garden. Can you make that happen? VIP service please.
I’m working on a recipe today that is going to make you LOVE your GREENS.
….I thought we were friends. Potato brothers. Cauliflower…cuckoos?
If it’s the teaser I saw I’m already a fan!
Gah, I haven’t found gluten-free couscous anywhere! I guess quinoa would work?
Definitely try it with quinoa Sharon! 🙂
My favorite salad ingredient is chickpeas. Actually, my favorite ingredient in general is probably chickpeas. They might actually work in this salad =P
Definitely add chickpeas, my sister does!
The answer is lettuce. Always lettuce. In all honesty, though, I’m pretty open when it comes to what goes into my salads. Avocado is almost always a must, and then I toss in whatever else I happen to have lying round. Mango is freaking amazing, and raisins too. Don’t come near me with olives, though. Do.not.like.
Mangoes and raisins? Love the sweet and salty notion! Between us, whom is sweet and salty?
Anything with feta gets my attention. You’ve created a wonderful salad here, and it’s a bonus that it has couscous (which is a fun word to say.)
Hahah it is fun, isn’t it! Thanks Michelle!
I wish I liked olives more. Something about them just makes me go mehh. If for nothing more than drinking more martini’s, I want to like olives. I guess that’s something to try and work on… if liking olives qualifies as some personal development material. I’m all about the cheese in a salad. Gots to have that cheddar yo! Lettuce.
Lettuce add cheddar next time. I used to hate olives as a kid after reading a book where the kid hated it!
Okay this looks totally awesome. I absolutely love feta cheese and olives. They are my favourite combination. I even love just throwing together tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, olives, and a tiny bit of olive oil. No need for lettuce. I’ve never thought of adding a grain like this though. YUM.
Never, ever order a salad in Italy. You are totally right about their ingredients though. Italians don’t take their salads very seriously. Even my grandmother would only toss mixed greens with oil and vinegar when I was younger. The effort goes into the good stuff – pizza and pasta!
YESSSSS. I’m not surprised their prices were to elevated!
….Can I come to Nonna’s for dinner? I’ll bring panatone and bakala.
Yay for Greek salads! They seem to be the thing to make right now. I’m loving your version and that you used couscous!
Thanks Hannah!
Oh, how I want to go to Italy and eat EVERYTHING! Cheese and something with a “crunch” are musts on a salad for me 🙂
YES! Cheese NEEDS to be on salads!