Summer Couscous Salad (Fresh, Flavorful, Amazing)
Couscous Salad is a flavorful summer side dish featuring fluffy couscous studded with fresh corn, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, sweet peaches, chopped basil, and creamy feta in an amazing honey lime dressing!
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School may be around the corner, but when it comes to seasonal eating, summer is still in full swing! And I'm not sure I've made a recipe this summer that encompasses the glorious flavors and textures and colors of the season better than this scrumptious Couscous Salad.
Bursting with an array of fruits and veggies and herbs, this is an easy Couscous Salad recipe that I'd have no problem eating all year long!
Ingredients
What makes this summer-inspired Couscous Salad so special?
- Couscous. While some think couscous is a grain, it's actually a tiny pasta!
- The type of couscous we're using in this Couscous Salad recipe is traditional (or Mediterranean) couscous, comprised of teeny-tiny balls of semolina -- not the larger varieties of pearl, Israeli, or Lebanese couscous.
- Different boxes or bags of couscous will vary in their ratios and directions. So for a tried-and-true outcome, you might like to check out the directions in my How to Cook Perfect Couscous post. 😉 Of course, if you're needing to use up leftover cooked couscous instead, that would work great in this recipe as well!
- Corn on the cob. Cooked and sliced from the cob...and don't forget to use my fool-proof method for roasting it!
- Cherry or grape tomatoes. You'll most likely want to halve them. However, if they're particularly large, you can cut them into quarters. You just want fairly uniform-sized ingredients in your couscous salad to make it easy to eat.
- Cucumber. Peel it and dice it. I prefer using an English cucumber (or a regular-but-not-too-large cucumber) to avoid big seeds.
- Peaches. Sweet, ripe, juicy peaches are slightly unexpected -- yet simply divine -- in this salad. If you prefer, you could include firmer apricots, sweet mango, or even cherries or plums instead.
- Feta. I'm a huge fan of the contrast that creamy, crumbled feta lends to a salad. Alternatively, you could use goat cheese.
- Basil. A chiffonade of basil adds such freshness to this dish. Mint would also be lovely.
- Honey Lime Dressing. Finally, this salad is tossed with a simple blend of extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, and honey. It's the perfect, tangy-sweet vinaigrette to bring all of the other flavors together.
Of course, feel free to swap out or throw in any additional goodies to your liking! Cubed avocado, plump berries, minced red onion, crispy bacon, sliced almonds...the possibilities are endless.
How to Make Couscous Salad
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
The steps are super easy!
- Cook the couscous.
- Peel/slice/chop the ingredients. Layer in a bowl and top with crumbled feta and basil chiffonade.
- Whisk together (or shake up) the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the Couscous Salad ingredients. Gently stir to combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
Any leftovers of this Couscous Salad recipe can be popped in the fridge and will remain delicious for an additional day or two.
That being said, pasta continues to absorb dressing and can change consistency with chilling, so I think that this salad is best enjoyed immediately after making it.
Make-Ahead Directions
If you'd like to prep your Couscous Salad ahead of time, you may certainly do so.
Cook and cool the couscous.
Peel/slice/chop most of the ingredients (although I'd wait on the peaches and basil until just before serving, to prevent them from browning).
Whisk together the dressing.
Tightly cover and separately store your pre-prepped, individual ingredients.
And then save the final step of combining everything until just before it's time to chow down!
This easy Couscous Salad really does make the most unique and delicious addition to any summer meal, party, or get-together.
It's light and healthy and oh-so-flavorful...the perfect side for just about anything from burgers to barbecue to seafood to steak.
And don't forget that it's also totally customizable!
Hope y'all have a chance to enjoy this one before the season ends. 🙂
More Summer Salads
- Corn, Tomato, & Avocado Salad
- Summer Lentil Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
- Caprese Orzo Salad
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
Summer Couscous Salad (Fresh, Flavorful, Amazing)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry couscous, cooked & cooled, (yielding about 3 cups of cooked couscous)
- 2 cobs fresh corn on the cob, cooked, peeled & sliced from the cob
- 1 cup small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 2 medium peaches, peeled & diced
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (packed), sliced into a chiffonade
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine the cooked couscous, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, peaches, feta, and basil in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper (or shake together in a jar). Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, toss to coat, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to use traditional (or Mediterranean) couscous, not the larger varieties of pearl, Israeli, or Lebanese couscous.
- Different boxes or bags of couscous will vary in their ratios and directions. So for a tried-and-true outcome, you might like to check out my directions for How to Cook Perfect Couscous.
- I also recommend using my fool-proof method for roasting corn on the cob.
- You want fairly uniform-sized ingredients in your Couscous Salad to make it easy to eat. So the size of your tomatoes will dictate whether you need to halve or quarter them.
- Feel free to swap out or throw in any additional goodies you like. You can substitute apricots, mangoes, or even cherries or plums for the peaches. Goat cheese may be exchanged for the feta. Mint can be swapped for the basil. Or you can add extra ingredients to your salad such as cubed avocado, plump berries, minced red onion, crispy bacon, sliced almonds, or whatever you prefer.
- MAKE-AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: Since pasta continues to absorb dressing and can change consistency with chilling, this salad is best enjoyed immediately after making it. Or you can prep the recipe ahead of time: (1) Cook and cool the couscous. (2) Peel/slice/chop most of the ingredients (although I'd wait on the peaches and basil until just before serving, to prevent them from browning). (3) Whisk together the dressing. (4) Tightly cover and separately store your pre-prepped, individual ingredients. (5) Combine everything just before serving.
Nutrition
Post originally published on July 31, 2019, and updated on July 5, 2020, and July 10, 2024.
Everyone at our pool party loved all of the summer flavors in this couscous salad. I was actually surprised that everything went so well together.
Great summer potluck recipe!
Unexpectedly delicious! I did cheat a little - I already had some of your honey mustard dressing made, so I just added some lime juice to it, and it worked!
I used regular whole wheat couscous and added a can of drained chickpeas. I also added coarsely shredded carrots for nut-free crunch and color. I will make this again!
Love this recipe. Great as a side salad for a BBQ or occasion, or as a meal on its own. Tend to make a double batch for lunch boxes etc. Made for a family gathering and it went down well.