This Israeli Couscous Salad is shiny, recent, and something however boring. Tossed in a do-it-yourself pesto-style dressing with juicy strawberries, creamy mozzarella balls, and just a little kick from jalapeño, it’s the type of salad that steals the highlight.
Whether you’re on the lookout for a summer season facet dish, one thing distinctive for meal prep, or a crowd-pleasing recipe to carry to a BBQ, this couscous salad delivers daring taste with minimal effort. Serve it chilled or at room temp—both means, it’s a vibrant improve out of your normal pasta salad.
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This Israeli couscous salad has rapidly turn into one in every of my favourite summer season recipes. The candy strawberries, crunchy cucumber, creamy mozzarella, and recent pesto dressing are irresistible — with only a trace of jalapeño for just a little kick.
Cook up some grilled pesto shrimp, bake a batch of baked salmon patties or baked hen tenders, and also you’ve received a simple, colourful meal that tastes like summer season in a bowl.
- Fresh + distinctive flavors: Sweet berries, crisp cucumber, and creamy mozzarella make each chunk pop.
- Perfect social gathering salad: It’s lovely, travels nicely, and at all times will get requested for at potlucks.
- Quick-cook grain: Israeli couscous cooks in minutes, so you may have this facet dish prepared quick. Prep time is tremendous fast too!
- Endless pairing choices: Pairs effortlessly together with your favourite protein for a simple meal. I actually like it served alongside my air fryer hen cutlets!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Yellow onion – Adds a candy and savory depth of taste when sautéed—consider it as the flavour base that ties the whole lot collectively.
- Shallot – Slightly milder than onion with a touch of garlic taste, shallots give the salad a refined increase in complexity.
- Chicken broth – Cooking the couscous in broth infuses it with savory taste. Swap in vegetable broth for a vegetarian model with out sacrificing style.
- Pearl couscous – These small, chewy pasta pearls (additionally known as Israeli couscous) absorb taste fantastically and maintain their form—good for chilled salads like this.
- Strawberries – Bright, juicy, and candy, strawberries add bursts of summer season freshness that steadiness the savory pesto and creamy cheese.
- Cucumber – Brings a cool, crisp chunk that makes the salad additional refreshing. Go for Persian or English cucumbers for the perfect texture.
- Mozzarella – Ciliegine mozzarella (the small balls) add creamy richness with out overpowering the salad’s recent flavors.
- Jalapeño – A bit goes a good distance. Adds the proper trace of spice and zing—be happy to omit or take away the seeds for much less warmth.
- Pesto dressing – This do-it-yourself inexperienced goddess second is filled with basil, spinach, mint, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, and lime. It’s herbaceous, zippy, and simply spicy sufficient. You’ll wish to drizzle it on the whole lot.
*For an in depth listing of directions, substances and measurements, please reference the recipe card down beneath.
Recipe ideas and Ingredient Substitutions
- Toast the couscous – Stirring it within the pan for a few minutes earlier than simmering helps carry out a nutty taste and prevents sogginess.
- Cool barely earlier than dressing – Let the couscous cool for a couple of minutes earlier than tossing with the pesto to protect the intense inexperienced coloration and freshness of the herbs.
- Make it vegetarian – Swap hen broth for veggie broth and skip the Parmesan or use a dairy-free model if wanted.
- Customize the veggies – Try including cherry tomatoes, corn, or avocado relying on the season or what’s in your fridge.
- Add protein – Grilled pesto shrimp, baked salmon patties, or crispy baked hen tenders would all pair fantastically for an entire meal.
- Leftover pesto? – Save it for sandwiches (like this Turkey and Pesto Sandwich), roasted veggies, and even pasta later within the week—it retains for as much as 5 days within the fridge.
- Swap the mozzarella – Try feta cheese, goat cheese, or burrata for a special creamy component.
How to Make This Israeli Couscous Salad
Step 1: Sauté the aromatics. In a medium pan, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth. Add the finely diced yellow onion and shallot. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, till softened and golden—this provides depth and a flavorful base to your salad.
Step 2: Toast the couscous. Add the pearl couscous to the identical pan. Toast for two–3 minutes, stirring steadily, till calmly golden. This fast step brings out a nuttier taste and helps the couscous maintain its texture when dressed.
Step 3: Simmer till tender. Pour within the hen broth and produce to a mild simmer. Cover the pan and prepare dinner for 8–10 minutes, till the couscous is tender and the broth has been absorbed. Then take away from warmth and let it cool barely.
Step 4: Make the dressing. While the couscous cooks, mix collectively the pine nuts, basil, spinach, olive oil, champagne vinegar (if utilizing), garlic, purple pepper flakes, lime juice and zest, recent mint, Parmesan, salt, and black pepper. Blend till clean and creamy. Taste and modify seasoning as wanted—add extra lime juice for brightness or purple pepper for warmth.
Step 5: Dress the couscous. Once the couscous has barely cooled, switch it to a big bowl. Pour the pesto-y dressing excessive and toss to coat evenly. This ensures the flavors soak up earlier than including the fragile substances.
Step 6: Fold in recent substances. Gently combine in ¾ cup diced strawberries, ¾ cup diced cucumber, 1 cup halved mozzarella balls, and 1 diced jalapeño. Be cautious to not overmix—simply sufficient to evenly distribute the recent add-ins.
Step 7: Serve and revel in. Serve chilled or at room temperature. This dish is ideal for meal prep, picnics, or a summer season facet dish that holds up fantastically over time.
How To Store Israeli Couscous Salad
- Fridge: Store any leftover pearl couscous salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Since it’s made with recent herbs and cheese, it’s greatest loved inside this window for max taste and texture.
- Meal prep tip: If you’re making this forward of time, you may maintain the mix-ins (like strawberries and mozzarella) separate till simply earlier than serving to maintain the whole lot recent and vibrant. You can nonetheless combine the pesto dressing with the pesto! This will assist maintain the couscous from sticking.
- Serving once more: Enjoy it chilly straight from the fridge or let it sit out for 15–20 minutes to return to room temperature. Give it a fast stir earlier than serving to redistribute the dressing.
- Avoid freezing: This salad doesn’t freeze nicely as a result of recent produce and cheese.
More Delicious Salads Without Lettuce
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Strawberry Cucumber Israeli Couscous Salad
Bright, recent, and just a little sudden, this Strawberry Cucumber Israeli Couscous Salad is bursting with candy berries, crisp cucumber, creamy mozzarella, and a contact of warmth from jalapeño, all tossed in a zesty pesto dressing. It’s the proper mix of summer season taste in each chunk.
For the Pesto-Y Dressing:
In a medium pan, warmth the olive oil over over medium warmth. Add the diced yellow onion and shallot, cooking for about 3-4 minutes, till softened and calmly golden.
In the identical pan with the onions, add the couscous and toast for about 2-3 minutes, stirring steadily, till it turns into calmly golden.
Pour within the hen broth, and produce it to a simmer, then cowl and prepare dinner for 8-10 minutes or till the couscous is tender and the broth has been absorbed.
While the couscous is cooking, add the pine nuts, recent basil, spinach, olive oil, champagne vinegar (if utilizing), garlic, crushed purple pepper flakes, lime juice and zest, recent mint, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to a meals processor or blender. Blend till clean. Taste and modify seasoning, including extra salt, pepper, or lime juice if wanted.
In a big mixing bowl, toss the cooked couscous with the pesto-y dressing till absolutely coated. I often let it cool for a couple of minutes earlier than tossing it with the dressing.
Gently stir within the diced strawberries, cucumber, mozzarella balls, and jalapeño. Toss the whole lot collectively and serve chilled or at room temperature.
If you’ve got leftover dressing, retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as per week. You can drizzle it over future salads or roasted greens!
- The additional dressing works splendidly as a sauce for grilled hen, a marinade for greens, or a dip for pita bread.
- You can add blueberries or blackberries too!
- Store leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Stir earlier than serving. I don’t advocate freezing.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1045IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition data is approximate and was calculated utilizing a recipe vitamin label generator.
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