Greek couscous salad that everyone will love! Perfect for any occasion, with meal prep options and tips to make it even easier.
The Best Greek Couscous Salad
Meal prepping has always been my go-to for quick, convenient meals. During college, I prepped every Sunday, making salads, overnight oats, and prepping veggies and grains for the week. It made eating well so much easier, even with a busy schedule.
This Greek couscous salad is perfect for meal prep—4 dinner servings or 6 meals for the week. Even if you’re not into meal prepping, this salad makes an ideal weeknight dinner or quick lunch. If you like variety, try switching up the dressing or veggies. It’s a simple way to have a satisfying meal ready whenever you need it.
Greek Couscous Salad Ingredients
- Pearled Couscous Mix: Cook it as directed on the package and let it cool before adding other ingredients.
- Cucumber, Bell Peppers, Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes: Cut these all to a similar size so each bite is similar. Soak the red onion in cold water or lemon juice for 10 minutes to make it milder.
- Italian Parsley: Make sure you use flat leaf Italian parsley.Chop it finely so it mixes well in the salad.
- Chickpeas: Adds protein and a nice texture. For extra crunch, you can roast or air fry them before adding.
- Feta Cheese: Crumble it over the salad right before serving.
- Lemon Wedges: Adds a fresh, zesty kick. Serve with the salad to squeeze over just before eating.
- Dressing: This dressing brings all the flavors together. Mix in a jar and shake well before using.
How To Make Greek Couscous Salad
How To Make Greek Couscous Salad- Cook Couscous: Follow the package directions to cook the couscous. Let it cool.
- Chop Veggies: While the couscous is cooking, chop the cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Finely chop the parsley.
- Prepare Chickpeas: Drain and rinse the chickpeas. If you want extra flavor, you can roast them.
- Make Dressing: In a jar, mix together red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake it well.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, mix the cooled couscous with the chopped veggies, chickpeas, feta cheese, and dressing. Stir everything together.
- Serve: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salad and enjoy!
For meal prep: Divide the salad into containers, and keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to eat.
How To Make It For Meal Prep
- Get Containers: Use 6 meal prep containers and 6 small containers for the dressing. Keep the dressing separate to avoid soggy salad. You can use small Tupperware, bulk dressing containers, or even snack-sized plastic bags.
- Prep Couscous: Cook the couscous first. While it’s cooking, chop the veggies—bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, parsley, and cherry tomatoes. Divide them equally among the 6 containers. Feel free to swap out veggies based on your preference.
- Add Protein: Use chickpeas for protein. You can roast them for extra crunch with salt and pepper. Or, swap them with other beans or grilled chicken.
- Finish: Top with freshly cracked salt and pepper, a lemon wedge (to squeeze before eating), extra parsley, and feta cheese.
More Delicious Meal Prep Options:
- Italian Sausage and Veggies
- Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Sweet Potato Taco Bowls
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Ground Turkey Meal Prep
Greek Couscous Salad
Greek couscous salad that everyone will love! Perfect for any occasion, with meal prep options and tips to make it even easier.
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 packages (4.7 ounces each) Pearled Couscous Mix (I use one made by Near East) Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil flavored
- 1 english (or hothouse) cucumber, coarsely chopped
- 3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow), coarsely chopped
- 1/2 of 1 large red onion, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 2 cans (15 ounces EACH) chickpeas
- Feta cheese, to taste
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Salad Dressing
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the couscous mix according to package instructions making sure to add in the seasoning mix. If you don't use couscous from a package, you'll want to add some of your favorite seasonings because a lot of the flavor in this salad comes from that seasoning.
- While the couscous is cooking, prep the veggies: coarsely chop the cucumber, the peppers, the red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Finely chop the parsley. To take the "bite" out of the raw red onion you can soak it in cold water (or freshly squeezed lemon juice) for about 10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. If desired, roast them in the oven (see the last paragraph in this post).
- Prepare the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar. (I add about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, but add to your personal preference). Seal the jar and shake until combined.
- TO SERVE AS A SALAD: Add the prepared couscous to a large bowl and allow to cool. Add in all of the veggies and chickpeas. Add in some feta cheese, freshly squeezed lemon, salt and pepper to taste, and the dressing. Only dress what you will enjoy as this salad doesn't sit well for a long time with the dressing on it.
- TO MEAL PREP: Divide the dressing evenly into 6 small containers. Divide the couscous evenly among 6 meal prep containers. Next add in equal parts of all of the chopped veggies and chickpeas. Add a lemon wedge, some feta cheese, and cover everything with some salt and pepper. To enjoy, add the dressing, squeeze the lemon over everything, stir together, and eat!
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.2g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 25.9g | Sodium: 732mg | Fiber: 10.3g | Sugar: 4.9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Chelsea,
I’m super excited about trying this recipe.
My question is – will this recipe work with Orzo?
Hey Nikki! I’ve never tried it with Orzo but that should work just fine with it! Sounds yummy! 🙂
My cous cous came out sticky 🙁 Think I cooked it too long?
Couscous can be pretty sticky! It’s mini pasta so if it’s as sticky as pasta you should be good 🙂
When cooking couscous you only simmer for five min, remove from heat with lid on and let sit for five then fluff with fork
My package of pearl couscous said 8-10 minutes. Maybe you are talking about the regular couscous? Mine also came out sticky. As in, it still had liquid in it. But I let it cool and with the dressing, it was fine!
Hi Chelsea,
I would love to make this for my husband’s work lunches. How long can you store them in the fridge?
Up to four days! I’d just keep the dressing separate until you are ready to eat! I hope you guys enjoy! 🙂
HI! I’m about to try these for my daughter’s school lunches- I was wondering if these are made on the Sunday and left in the fridge are they still fresh by Friday, or would it be better to do half batches and recook on Wednesday?
I was wondering if one could use quinoa instead of the cous cous?
Absolutely! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
This was soooo good. I totally forgot to add the bell peppers and I didnt add the lemon wedges either but it was still very good! Hy-vee has the Near East Cous Cous.
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much for the comment Kayle 🙂
What’s the brand on those containers? Love them
Thank you! [3-Pack] Glass Meal Prep Containers Glass – Glass Food Storage Containers – Glass Storage Containers with Lids – Glass Lunch Containers Food Container
I’ve been making this every couple of weeks and I love it!
So happy to hear that! Thank you for the comment 🙂
Hi Chelsea, I have a question. I tried to find the Near East Pearled Couscous that you mentioned in your recipe, but can’t locate it…I’ll keep looking! In the meantime, I have some Pearl Couscous but not sure how much to make? How much loose couscous would you use, and what seasonings does the Near East use that I could add to the loose couscous? Thank you! 🙂
From what I can tell, when I looked up the product, each container has a cup of dry couscouse. So, I think the recipe calls for 2 cups, dry. Certainly would be helpful if that could be confirmed and included on the ingredient list
Hi Chelsea!! About to try this recipe & I’m sure it will be as yummy as all of your other recipes I have made! Question- I could only find plain couscous (no seasoning) at my grocery store. What seasonings would you recommend adding to it to give it more flavor?
I had this same question…..
Hi Kate and Mollie! Sorry for the delayed response. I’d add in some garlic and onion powder (to taste; 1/2 teaspoon or so) and some dried parsley, oregano, and basil (again to taste; 1/2 teaspoon or so!) Enjoy 🙂
Is there an option for the chick peas? Hubby doesn’t care for them
You could try white beans!
This was delicious! My daughter is in the final weeks of getting her graduate degree and I’ve taken over her meal prep duties. After tasting it, I want it for myself!!!! For the dressing, I did tweak it just a bit. I did half the lemon, I also added some shallot, finely chopped spinach and parsley and a packet of stevia. It was my first attempt at making dressing and it was a great kickoff! I’m on my way to get some more veggies for a batch me for. I’ve been on a weight loss journey and have been stuck foe a week. This will easily help me get over the line and start moving again! Thanks so much for sharing!
So happy you enjoyed it, that makes me so happy to hear! Good luck on your weight loss journey! Thank you so much for the comment 🙂