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Lemony Cucumber Couscous Salad
Hands down one of my most beloved recipes this summer & we’re only a couple weeks into the summer season!
This bright & light meal is the epitome of summertime delight. I have to admit my husband & I made this recipe a couple of months ago & it has now become a fan favorite. We’ve made it almost every week since – talk about obsession! 😉
The beauty about this vibrant salad is that it’s incredibly fast, super simple & absolutely refreshing. Perfect to bring along for a summer potluck, eating cold for a refreshing lunch on a warm summer day, or serving it along with some grilled goodies at dinner time.
We chose to make our salad with Israeli Couscous as it adds a fun twist & texture to this lemony dish. We’ve just recently discovered Israeli couscous & it’s fair even to say we’ve fallen in love. There’s something about those plump little pasta pellets that just brings a smile to my face. You can certainly use regular couscous if that’s all you have on hand. But we’ve found Israeli couscous helps to bulk up salads such as this.
*Just note that if you do substitute in regular couscous, be aware the cooking instructions will be different from below.
Also, this salad can be served immediately after preparing, which will be a bit warm or cooled in the fridge. We’ve tried it both ways & I prefer this salad chilled in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, for a crisp & cool meal.
Lemony Cucumber Couscous Salad
This vibrant meal is super simple & absolutely refreshing. Perfect to bring along for a summer potluck, eating cold for a refreshing lunch on a warm summer day, or serving it along with grilled goodies at dinner time.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups Israeli couscous (We did 2 cups, cause why not?! 😉)
- 2 medium cucumbers
- 1/4 bunch parsley
- 1 medium lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt (we omitted)
- freshly cracked pepper (to taste)
- 3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the couscous & continue to let it boil for 5-7 mins, or until the couscous is tender. Drain the couscous in a colander or wire mesh sieve (if the holes in the colander are too big). Rinse briefly with cool water to cool off the couscous, then allow to drain while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Cut the cucumber into quarter rounds & place them in a large bowl. Take a big handful (or about 1/4 bunch) of parsley & pull the leaves from the stems. Roughly chop the parsley & then add it to the bowl with the cucumber. Use a fine holed cheese grater or a zester to remove the thin layer of yellow zest from the lemon & add it to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Cut the lemon in half & squeeze the juice into a small bowl (you should get 2-3 tbsp of juice). Add the olive oil, garlic powder, salt & some freshly cracked pepper. Stir to combine & then pour the dressing over the cucumber, parsley & lemon zest. Stir to combine.
- Add the cool, drained couscous & crumbled feta to the bowl. Gently stir to combine all of the ingredients. Serve immediately or chill until the desired temperature & enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 10gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 166mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2g
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