Mediterranean Couscous Salad (Printable Format)

Fluffy couscous tossed with crunchy veggies, feta, olives, and a tangy hot honey lemon vinaigrette.

# What You Need:

→ Couscous and Salad Base

01 - 1 cup couscous
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
07 - 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
08 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 - 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
11 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped (optional)

→ Hot Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

12 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon hot honey
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Hot Honey (if not store-bought)

18 - 1 tablespoon honey
19 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

# How-To Steps:

01 - Place couscous, kosher salt, and olive oil in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the couscous, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a fitted lid, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled couscous, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, halved Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and chopped mint, if using. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl or lidded jar, whisk together the fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, hot honey, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic until fully emulsified. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. To make hot honey from scratch, combine 1 tablespoon honey with 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and let cool before using.
04 - Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The hot honey lemon vinaigrette is that magical combination of tangy, sweet, and spicy that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
  • It comes together in thirty minutes with zero cooking beyond boiling water, which means you will not heat up your kitchen on a hot day.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day, so making extra is never a mistake.
02 -
  • Do not skip the olive oil coating on dry couscous before adding water, because without it you will end up with a gummy clump instead of separate fluffy grains.
  • Let the couscous cool completely before adding the vegetables or the residual heat will wilt everything and melt the feta into an unappealing paste.
03 -
  • Shaking the vinaigrette in a lidded jar emulsifies it far better than whisking ever will, and you can store any leftover dressing right in the same container.
  • Taste the salad after it has rested for ten minutes, because the flavors shift and deepen in ways that are impossible to judge right after mixing.

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