Description
A refreshing and flavorful Pearl Couscous Salad topped with crispy chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs, perfect for a light lunch or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup pearl couscous*
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- One 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup minced parsley or cilantro, or a mix of both (or torn basil)
- 1/2 English cucumber or 1 kirby/Persian cucumber, cut into small dice
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped*
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (or scallions)
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add the couscous and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer until all the water is absorbed (do not stir during cooking), about 15 minutes. Let the pot stand covered for another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and cook, tossing frequently, until they’re crispy and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, toss to coat, and cook for another minute.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, olives, raisins, and red onion. Add the couscous and half of the chickpeas, along with the lemon juice, lots of pepper, and the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Transfer to a serving dish and scatter the remaining chickpeas on top before serving.
Notes
- If you can’t find pearl couscous, pearled barley or orzo are good substitutes. Cook those according to package directions.
- Not a fan of olives? Swap in chopped marinated artichokes, roasted red peppers, and/or capers.
- Pearl couscous tends to bubble a lot during cooking, so I recommend boiling it in a roomy pot.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg