Couscous salads are versatile and can include a variety of ingredients such as fruit, nuts, vegetables, and protein. Garlic is a common ingredient, and different types of couscous have varying cooking times. Moroccan couscous is the most well-known, but Israeli and Lebanese couscous are also popular.
Most cooks will admit that they haven’t come across couscous salads they didn’t love. On its own, couscous has a charm, whether it comes from Morocco, Lebanon, Israel or another locale with its delicious variation. Couscous, which is the star of many hot dishes, shines brightest when presented as a salad. It’s a friendly food, welcoming everything from fruit to nuts to onions to garlic to ginger to herbs and steak to tofu.
Moroccan couscous is the traditional food familiar to most people. When boiling water is added to these irregularly shaped bits of grits, about the size of a sesame seed, it takes just two minutes to finish cooking. Israeli couscous, perfect little globes of flavor, are denser and therefore take a little longer to cook, and Lebanese couscous, the size of green peas, still takes a few more minutes.
Perhaps the simplest couscous salad is made from a short play date with some garlic, a good amount of chopped parsley, and some of the best quality olive oil. Chopped or finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes will add some zing. Then, toasting a handful of pine nuts to sprinkle on top will make it special.
Admittedly, few cooks are satisfied with the simple, and to them couscous presents itself as the perfect canvas for whatever paint they choose. It’s an unspoken but nonetheless enforceable law that garlic, whether it’s minced, raw, or sautéed for a minute or two, is a requirement for proper couscous salads. Most salads will also ask for a prominent herbal or spicy note, such as basil, curry or fruit-flavored oil. It’s okay to layer a few flavors until you dominate.
Couscous salads are not shy at all. They love to enjoy an assortment of raw or cooked vegetables, such as carrots, green beans or sweet peppers. The vegetable-based couscous salad goes well with some chopped olives, stuffed with green or black oil stuffed.
There’s no reason to stick with the tried and true. Chopped pears, apples, peaches or plums will add a little tidbit of sweetness that will make the diner smile. Chopped walnuts or pecans tucked into this mix, and perhaps some fresh mint leaves, make for a summer lunch that offers instant cool.
There are dozens of ways to add protein to couscous salads. Shredded chicken, diced steak, or a few chunks of hard or soft sausage take the flavor meter to new heights. For meat eaters, diced tempeh that has been lightly browned in a sauté pan is a good choice. Of course, the simpler couscous salad served with a side of cucumber and yogurt will round out the protein and make for a meal that can satisfy even the fussiest eater.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
