Couscous Mediterranean Salad
This vibrant Sun-Dried Tomato-Couscous Salad is loaded with toasted almonds, crisp cucumber, baby spinach, and couscous, all tossed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette for a fresh, flavor-packed bite!
Servings: 6 servings
Cost: $10.54
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous see note 1
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes coarsely chopped, see note 2
- 2 cups English cucumbers coined and halved, see note 3
- 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach coarsely chopped, 6 cups
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- Feta cheese optional
Lemon Dressing
- 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Prepare couscous according to package directions. Add the suggested amount of salt (1/4 teaspoon). Fluff with a fork and refrigerate to cool.
- Coarsely chop sun-dried tomatoes. Slice and halve cucumbers. Coarsely chop spinach.
- Optional: Add almonds to a dry pan (no oil) over medium-high heat. Stir every 15 seconds for 1–3 minutes until they darken slightly and smell fragrant. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Zest lemons to get 1 teaspoon zest. Juice lemons to get 3 tablespoons of juice. Combine lemon juice and all dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Season (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Shake to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to use, and shake again before dressing the salad.
- Add spinach to a large bowl and top with cooled couscous. Toss gently. Add sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, and toasted almonds. Add the vinaigrette (as desired) and toss to coat. Sprinkle with feta cheese if using. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Note 1: There are several types of couscous, so make sure to get the small (Moroccan) couscous.
Note 2: These are my favorite sun-dried tomatoes. They’re sliced (julienne cut) and packed with herbs and olive oil so they add loads of flavor without extra ingredients.
Note 3: English or Persian cucumbers: These are also sometimes labeled as salad/mini cucumbers. Regular cucumbers don’t work as well because they lack flavor and are too watery.
Storage: For leftovers, store undressed salad components separately. Add almonds and dressing only to the portion being served to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 483IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg