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.
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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
For the Greek Salad Dressing
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Oregano dried
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
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
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This looks INCREDIBLE!! Your food is always so dreamy, Arman! You should really open a restaurant or eatery of some sort! 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words, Erin!
Yeah!!!!! Feta is always my key ingredient in a salad. I have something similar on my blog, but it uses quinoa which makes a nice change 🙂
Feta is always a winner (and key ingredient!)
You know I love a good veggie loaded salad! I love adding sweet potato wedges, roasted Brussels sprouts and always avocado.
OH man, you’re power bowls are epic. Brussels are so expensive here right now!
Definitely making this for my sister and brother-in-law for our next “family dinner”!
Tomatoes and red onion are a couple musts for my salads!!!
Please do! Oh yes, red onion goes so well!
I think this salad and I need to become best friends. Like we can develop a secret handshake and have a secret club where no pizzas are allowed. Wait a second, pizzas can still be allowed. Who in the heck wants to belong to a club where no pizzas are allowed?? Greek salads are one of my favorites, and you’ve totally nailed it with the couscous here. Tell my friend hello for me!
A life without pizza is punishment. My friend had to go dairy free and seeing as Australia has no dairy free cheeses, still order pizzas sans cheese. Even though it looks pitiful, damn, it’s still pizza!
You make me wish it was socially acceptable to have couscous for breakfast… It looks amazing and with the extra veg, it knocks down the need for a lot of couscous. Carbs are my sticking point, so this is brilliant for me!
…..Let’s start a trend to make it socially acceptable- I’d be game! 😀
I’m laughing at herbs cheese and olives from the popes private garden! I know what you mean about sparse salads and that’s a huge pet peeve! I like loaded salads if I’m eating a salad, the good stuff is key!
Exactly! NEVER order a salad in Italy!
Lol the Pope’s garden. You’re so right though — the best salads aren’t lettuce based. I love my veggies, but there are so many creative ways to eat “salad.” Feta has been all over the blog world lately! I like it and all but I don’t use it as frequently as I know you can — it’s such a mild flavor but it still scares me to use for some reason.
Dude, you just bought some fancy pants cheese. USE IT. (but preferably, by the handful as opposed to in a salad!)
Greek food is my fave!! I love their salads as well!
Same! One of my favourites!
Yum! You’re pics have me drooling! I think it’s hard to find salad in most places in Europe. I need to start doing the photoshop thing. Love how those look!
Thanks Megan! Oh God, I’m scared to use photoshop!
Gorgeous salad!! I would serve it over lettuce because I love crunchy lettuce (romaine) with my greek salads!! I could eat this for days! Also thanks for the heads up on salad in Europe = thats crazy!
Thanks Sam! Haha, you better indulge in their delicious pastas there- Seriously I dream about it to this day!
oh yes this looks good and I am massively craving salad bowls now! It reminds me of all these lovely choices on the whole foods salad bar. But I am making the same mistake over and over again: starting to pile lettuce and then add other ingredients because you do need something to fill you up, don’t you? Then I eat all the delicious couscous, lentils, peas… and I end up with a pile of lettuce left I a) don’t want to eat and b) can’t get in anymore. Fail!
I don’t really have key ingredients in salds. I chuck in whatever is in arms reach. I do love to add hummus or guac in the end. Or actually both 😀
And the only acceptable salad in Italy is Tomato and Mozzarella! With maybe a bit of green in the form of basil!
Haha I made that error too and was like…Why did I just pay $6 for lettuce! Oh yes….the infamous Caprese!
I love couscous and this totally looks like something I would make! Feta cheese usually finds its way into any salad I make.
YES! I love seeing feta in your salads!
HAHAHA Simpsons quotes are always relevant but that salad one is pure gold – my brothers still say it to me all the time.
Hahahahahaha we need a Simpsons marathon.
Um, yes please!
Looks delish! I love salads that don’t include lettuce, too!!
Right? Such a waste of space in it!