A Healthy Mediterranean Couscous
This Mediterranean couscous recipe is excellent for meal prep, potlucks, barbecues, packed lunches, and everyday meals.
Since Louise and I love easy salad recipes (and our readers love them too), this couscous is inspired by two of our most popular dishes: chickpea salad and Moroccan couscous.
Like our farro salad, rice salad, and orzo salad, it’s packed with fresh veggies, umami-rich sun-dried tomatoes, and mustard dressing.
We love topping the salad with sumac onions and serving it alongside a thick yogurt tahini sauce and crumbled feta.
Israeli couscous, pearl couscous, or Ptitim, is a type of pasta developed in Israel in the 1950s; it’s easy to prepare and it cooks in less than 10 minutes.
Despite its English name, pearl couscous or Ptitim – is not a type of couscous but small pasta balls made with durum wheat semolina flour and water, similar to Sardinian fregola.
You’ll love pearl couscous because it cooks quickly—about 7 minutes in boiling water, and has a slightly chewy and satisfying texture.
With this recipe, we want to celebrate the colorful flavors of the Mediterranean Diet, and hopefully, you feel inspired to join us!
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Pearl couscous: Also known as ptitim or Israeli couscous, this is the main ingredient in the salad. Cook it in water or vegetable broth for extra flavor. You can substitute it with farro, orzo, barley, rice, fregola, or Moroccan couscous.
- Chickpeas: They add protein and heartiness. Use canned or home-cooked. Substitute with black beans, edamame, or lentils.
- Bell pepper: We use green, but red or yellow work just as well.
- Cucumber: Any type works—English, American, or Persian.
- Scallions: Their mild flavor is perfect here. You can swap them with shallots or red onions.
- Cherry tomatoes: Add sweetness and juiciness. Plum, date, or other small tomatoes are great alternatives.
- Fresh herbs: Flat-leaf parsley is our go-to. You can also use fresh mint, basil, dill, or oregano.
- Olives: We like taggiasche or kalamata olives for their rich, briny flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Choose the ones packed in oil for best taste. You can also use marinated artichoke hearts.
- Feta: Optional but recommended. Crumble it it.
- Dressing: A zesty mix of olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, maple syrup or honey, mustard, garlic, cumin or sumac, salt, and pepper.
How to make Israeli couscous salad
1. Cook the Couscous
Boil pearl couscous in salted water or vegetable broth for 7 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. While it cooks, start prepping your veggies. Once done, drain the couscous, transfer it to a large bowl, and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Don’t worry if the pearls clump—they’ll loosen when tossed with the dressing.
2. Prep the Veggies
Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell pepper, slice the spring onions, rinse the chickpeas, chop the sun-dried tomatoes, drain the olives, and finely chop the parsley. Add all the vegetables to the bowl with the cooled couscous. Optionally, crumble in the feta.
3. Make the Dressing
Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, grated garlic, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the couscous and vegetables, then toss until everything is well coated and flavorful.
4. Taste & Serve
Adjust the seasoning with more salt or lemon if needed. Serve as a main or side dish. For extra flavor, top with sumac onions, jalapeños, and toasted pine nuts. It’s also delicious with a quick yogurt-tahini sauce on the side.
Finally, pearl couscous salad is also excellent on a Mezze platter with other small Mediterranean dishes, such as hummus, falafel, muhammara, baba ganoush, and tzatziki.
Tips
- Cook the couscous al dente for a chewy texture—boil for 7 minutes, taste, and drain when just tender.
- Salt the boiling water to infuse flavor into the couscous, unless you’re using a well-seasoned vegetable broth.
- Let the couscous cool for at least 10 minutes before mixing it with the fresh vegetables to avoid wilting.
- Toast the dry couscous in olive oil before boiling to add a rich, nutty flavor.
- Cook in vegetable broth instead of water to give the couscous a savory, well-rounded taste.
- Chop the vegetables small and evenly so they mix well and distribute flavor in every bite.
- Taste and season generously with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and herbs—couscous absorbs flavors quickly.
- Let the finished salad rest for 10–15 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld together.
- Top with creamy or crunchy extras like feta, non-dairy feta, pine nuts, or pickled onions for added texture.
- Make it ahead of time—this salad holds up beautifully in the fridge and tastes even better the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Israeli couscous and regular couscous?
Despite its English name, Israeli couscous, also called Ptitim or pearl couscous, is not a type of couscous but rather a type of small toasted pasta balls.
Israeli couscous looks and tastes more like Sardinian pasta fregola. It’s made with the same ingredients as pasta: durum wheat semolina flour and water.
What does Israeli couscous taste like?
Can I use regular couscous instead of pearl couscous?
Can I make pearl couscous salad ahead of time?
How do I keep it from sticking together?
How do I store it?
More Easy Mediterranean Salads
Pearl Couscous Salad
Our pearl couscous salad is a healthy Mediterranean recipe with Israeli couscous, fresh veggies, feta, and chickpeas.
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 7 minutes mins
Total Time: 27 minutes mins
Servings: –+ people
Course: Main Course, salad, Side
Cuisine: Mediterranean
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