Ingredients
Salad
- 1.5 cups pearl couscous
- 1 English cucumber
- 1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 fresh lemon (zested and juiced)
Dressing
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the couscous: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pearl couscous and cook for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water to stop cooking and cool it down. Let it drain completely while preparing the rest of the salad.
- Prepare the lemon: Zest the lemon to get about ½ teaspoon of zest, then squeeze out about 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Set aside.
- Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper until well combined.
- Prep the vegetables and herbs: Chop the cucumber into quarter-round slices for a nice crunch, and roughly chop the parsley leaves.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooled couscous, chopped cucumber, parsley, lemon zest, and crumbled feta cheese. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir gently to coat everything evenly.
- Serve or chill: Serve the salad immediately for the freshest taste, or refrigerate it until ready to eat to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can add a handful of cherry tomatoes or sliced red onions.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated for up to 2 days, but the cucumbers may soften over time.
- To make it vegan, substitute feta cheese with a vegan cheese alternative or omit it entirely.
- Using pearl couscous gives a nice texture, but regular couscous can be used with slightly adjusted cooking time.
- Adjust salt to taste, especially depending on the saltiness of your feta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
