{"id":26575,"date":"2023-05-24T09:59:07","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T13:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bowlofdelicious.com\/?p=26575"},"modified":"2023-05-24T10:58:10","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T14:58:10","slug":"israeli-couscous-salad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bowlofdelicious.com\/israeli-couscous-salad\/","title":{"rendered":"Mediterranean Israeli (Pearl) Couscous Salad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This Israeli Couscous Salad (or Pearl Couscous Salad)<\/em> is packed with fresh herbs, feta cheese, and Mediterranean ingredients like cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives. Toasting the couscous before cooking it adds a delicious, nutty flavor. This Mediterranean couscous salad is super flavorful and is sure to be your new favorite side dish or light meal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Overhead<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever had Israeli, or pearl, couscous? It’s basically tiny circles of pasta. It has a wonderful chewy texture, a bit heartier tasting than the fluffier and smaller Moroccan-style couscous, and is the perfect base for a cold salad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This recipe toasts the couscous in olive oil<\/strong> before adding water to the pot and cooking, resulting in a deliciously toasty, nutty flavor that enhances the whole recipe. I do this with my orzo pilaf recipe<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cooked couscous is then tossed with a simple mixture of lemon juice, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil, cooled, then mixed with refreshing Mediterranean ingredients like cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, herbs, and feta cheese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This couscous salad is a delicious vegetarian side dish or light lunch, and is great paired with grilled halloumi, shrimp, or chicken. You could even add some cooked chickpeas to it to add some more protein and make it a meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s get to it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients and Substitutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n