Summer Couscous Salad
This Summer Couscous Salad is a delicious side dish with pearl couscous, sautéed veggies, and fresh basil. It’s the perfect summer salad for all those farmer’s market vegetables.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’re going to love this versatile Summer Couscous Salad recipe. It’s easy to make with simple ingredients in less than 30 minutes.
I could literally eat this salad every single day throughout the summer. I make it far more often than any other summer side. It’s so good!
Serve it as a warm side dish or cold salad. It’s great to pack for lunch, a picnic, or a BBQ side dish.
I’m always looking for ways to add more veggies to my meals. Sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini all pair perfectly together. Stir those into some cooked pearl couscous with fresh herbs, and you’ll wonder why you haven’t made this one before.
It’s dairy-free, vegan, and easily customizable. You can add your favorite diced veggies, fresh herbs, or feta cheese.
Love this recipe? Try this Butternut Squash Couscous Salad.
What is Pearl Couscous
Pearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous, is a type of small pasta. The main difference between pearl couscous and regular couscous is the size. Pearl couscous is larger than regular couscous and is shaped like small balls. It has a chewy texture and slightly nutty flavor.
Couscous is commonly used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes as a base for salads, stews, or a side dish. Read more about the different types of couscous.
Ingredients
- Couscous: Pearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous is the base for this dish. You’ll cook it according to the package directions. Typically you’ll bring water to a boil then simmer the couscous, covered, for 12-15 minutes.
- Olive Oil: Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sautéing the veggies, plus more for drizzling over the finished salad.
- Garlic: Just one clove of minced garlic to add a little zing.
- Zucchini: A small zucchini, diced into small pieces.
- Corn: Sweet corn kernels cut from one ear of corn. You can swap out for frozen corn. If you do, there’s no need to thaw it.
- Cherry Tomatoes: A large handful of cherry tomatoes, diced into small pieces.
- Basil: Fresh basil leaves, sliced.
- Sea Salt: A pinch of salt to make the flavors pop.
*The full ingredient list with amounts is in the recipe card below.
How to Make Summer Pearl Couscous
- Cook the pearl couscous according to package directions.
- In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and corn. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender.
- Mix in the cooked pearl couscous. Stir in the fresh basil. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, as needed. Taste and season with more sea salt, if desired. Serve warm or cold.
Expert Tip: Don’t overcook the pearl couscous. Cook it until it’s just barely past al dente. If you overcook it, it will become mushy and sticky.
Variations
You can customize this Israeli Couscous Salad to your taste preferences. Here are some recommendations:
- Add some cheese. Finely shredded parmesan would be a great addition. Crumbled feta or goat cheese would also be incredible in this couscous.
- Swap out the couscous. Don’t have pearl couscous on hand? You can swap it out for regular couscous or another type of small pasta, like orzo.
- Cook the couscous in broth. Use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water when cooking the Israeli couscous for even more flavor.
- Add a protein. Add some grilled chicken, canned tuna, or chickpeas to make it more hearty.
- Include more veggies. Add some diced onion, peas, red bell pepper, or roughly chopped baby spinach when sautéing the veggies.
- Top with more fresh herbs. Use your favorite fresh herbs instead of the basil or in addition to it! Chopped cilantro, parsley, and thyme would be great additions.
Serving Suggestions
Zucchini and tomato couscous is perfect for late summer with all those garden-fresh veggies. I love serving it warm as a side dish or cold as a salad. Pair it with grilled chicken, fish, or a simple green salad for a complete meal. For a vegetarian dinner option, add some chickpeas or tofu.
Pack it up for lunch for work, a picnic, a BBQ, or a beach day. This often doesn’t even make it out of the pan before I start eating it!
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: You can make this salad ahead of time! Follow the cooking directions, then store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add an extra drizzle of olive oil just before serving, if needed. Pasta sometimes dries out a little and absorbs all the liquids when stored.
To Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this couscous salad. The textures will change and won’t be as pleasant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
You can add spinach, bell peppers, or peas. Feel free to use whatever fresh, seasonal vegetables you have on hand.
Fresh basil is recommended in this recipe for its vibrant flavor. I don’t recommend substituting for dried basil.
Pearl couscous is made from wheat, so it is not gluten-free. To make a gluten-free version, you can substitute a gluten-free small pasta or a grain like quinoa or rice.
More Summer Salad Recipes
Whether you’re looking for more summer side dishes or pasta salads, you’ll love these other recipes!
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Summer Couscous Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Summer Couscous Salad is a delicious side dish with pearl couscous, sautéed veggies, and fresh basil. It’s the perfect summer salad for all those farmer’s market vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry pearl couscous
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- corn kernels from 1 ear of corn (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 tablespoon sliced fresh basil leaves
- sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pearl couscous according to package directions.
- In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and corn. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender.
- Mix in the cooked pearl couscous. Stir in the fresh basil. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, as needed. Taste and season with more sea salt, if desired. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
Don’t overcook the pearl couscous. Cook it until it’s just barely past al dente. If you overcook it, it will become mushy and sticky.
To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before serving, if needed.
Nutritional Values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 151.8 mg
- Fat: 4.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.1 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 4.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
