Tri Color Couscous Recipes – Mediterranean Couscous Salad

A tart lemon dressing, juicy tomato chunks, crisp cucumber slices and fresh herbs give this Mediterranean-inspired couscous salad its Mediterranean flair. Ideal as either a light meal or side dish – and that stores well for lunch or dinner use – for maximum enjoyment, add succulent shrimp, chicken slices or flaked fish before serving for a heartier meal option!

Tri-Color Pearl Couscous is the centerpiece of this dish. A mixture of plain, spinach- and tomato-flavored pearl couscous made of small durum wheat semolina pasta pearls that absorb flavors well makes this versatile ingredient ideal for both hot and cold dishes. While heavier than ordinary tiny couscous varieties, its delicate texture and distinctive flavor resemble that of Moroccan-style couscous while its cooking time should also remain similar (please refer to your package instructions for exact cooking times).

For this recipe, you will require approximately 1 cup of pearl couscous from your grocery store’s refrigerated section, alongside regular tiny couscous. Following the directions on its packaging will vary slightly; most typically will advise boiling it in large amounts of liquid for 15 minutes – this should create fluffy grains while simultaneously not overcooking it which can result in sticky grains sticking together too much! If this becomes an issue for you, drizzle a bit of olive oil before adding more liquid if necessary to avoid sticking together too much!

For this recipe, finely mince 2 tablespoons of shallots and grate the zest from 1 lemon (see Note A below). As an optional garnish you may also choose 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese instead.

Homemade lemon vinaigrette unites all the elements in this salad beautifully and easily. Its flavors are perfectly balanced and highly addictive!

As part of our couscous salad, we added fresh leafy greens for added nutrition and flavor. Baby spinach and arugula make great options; other varieties, like baby rocket or kale may work just as well. Finally, this salad featured plenty of crunchy toasted pine nuts as a delightful topping and juicy tomatoes and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes as tasty extras!

This couscous is loaded with protein thanks to a generous helping of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). They add satisfying chewy texture and an earthy, nutty flavor. If you don’t have baby spinach or arugula on hand, feel free to substitute with other mildly bitter, savory leafy greens such as romaine or Swiss chard; it will still taste amazing! A handful or so of chopped parsley or cilantro add fresh herbaceous notes while zesty lemon zest add extra brightness! You won’t go wrong when making this delicious dish! Enjoy!