Couscous Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta Recipe
A vibrant and refreshing Couscous Salad with sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, and fresh herbs, perfect as a light lunch or a side dish. This easy no-cook recipe combines fluffy couscous soaked in vegetable stock with hearty chickpeas, zesty lemon, and a mix of aromatic herbs for a delicious Mediterranean-inspired salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Base
- 1 1/4 cups dried couscous
- 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) boiled water
- 1 tsp vegetable stock powder (or 1 cube crumbled)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp coriander powder (or cumin)
- 400 g (14 oz) canned chickpeas, drained
Herbs and Vegetables
- 1/2 cup coriander, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped (or mint)
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 220 g (7 oz) jar sun dried tomato strips in oil (including oil)
- 120 g (4 oz) rocket/arugula lettuce, chopped into 5 cm (2”) pieces
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
- 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Finishing Touch
- 60 g (2 oz) feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Soak the couscous and chickpeas: Place the drained chickpeas, dried couscous, vegetable stock powder, coriander powder, and minced garlic in a large bowl. Pour over the boiling water, then gently shake the bowl to level out the couscous grains. The chickpeas should mostly settle on top. Cover the bowl with a plate or cling wrap and let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the couscous to absorb the liquid.
- Fluff and cool: After 5 minutes, fluff the couscous gently with a fork to separate the grains. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Add fresh herbs and vegetables: Stir in the finely chopped coriander, parsley (or mint), chopped red onion, sun dried tomato strips along with all their oil, chopped rocket leaves, fresh lemon juice, and black pepper. Sprinkle the lemon zest evenly across the salad surface.
- Season to taste: Toss the salad well to combine all the flavors uniformly. Adjust salt and pepper according to your preference.
- Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese on top. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Using vegetable stock powder or cube infuses the couscous with extra flavor during soaking.
- The sun dried tomatoes added with their oil contribute richness and moisture to the salad.
- This salad can be prepared ahead of time and chilled; add the feta just before serving to retain its texture.
- Substitute parsley with fresh mint for a different herbal note.
- Adjust lemon juice and seasoning to taste for a balanced, refreshing finish.
Keywords: couscous salad, vegetarian salad, Mediterranean salad, sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, chickpea salad, no-cook salad, lemon dressing
