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Greek Couscous Salad with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, kalamata olives, and a zesty lemony dressing is the perfect side dish and ideal for meal prep too!
If you’re into grain salads, you’ll get a kick out of making couscous salad too! In case you aren’t familiar, couscous is a type of pasta made with semolina flour. It isn’t technically a grain, but it does come with a grain-like vibe, similar to quinoa or rice.
This easy Greek salad features couscous as a main ingredient, as well as juicy tomatoes, briny kalamata olives, tangy feta cheese, a zesty citrus dressing (and more) for plenty of bold flavor.
I see it as the perfect side dish to any main course, although you can easily employ it as a light dinner or lunch too.
Mix it up with your favorite additions to keep the couscous salads coming!
All of the simple ingredients can be found at any grocery store!
Ingredient Notes:
Dry Couscous: The main ingredient in this easy Greek couscous salad, which has a very subtle nutty flavor and is the perfect canvas for bolder flavors.
Because I follow a gluten-free diet and couscous contains gluten, I used fonio grain, which is an ancient grain containing fiber and amino acids. Of course, if you don’t follow a gluten-free diet, use regular couscous in this recipe!
Cherry Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes bring juicy pops of sweet and tangy flavor. Substitute them for sun-dried tomatoes if you prefer.
Red Onion: A zing from fresh onion creates a subtle heat. Substitute green onions if you prefer.
Fresh Garlic: A little fresh garlic goes a long way in boosting the flavor profile.
Feta Cheese: Tangy feta cheese contributes a bold Mediterranean essence to the salad.
Kalamata Olives: Briny olives add big bursts of flavor and healthy fats. Swap them for black olives or green olives if you prefer.
Baby Spinach: I like rounding it all out with some baby spinach to add Vitamins, minerals, and iron to the dish. Feel free to skip it if you aren’t into spinach.
Avocado Oil or Olive Oil: For the easy citrus dressing, some form of fat is needed for richness. I like using either avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil.
Lemon Zest: Big lemon flavor comes from lemon zest. For the best results, don’t skip it!
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice contributes lemon flavor too. Add it to your personal taste. Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and rice vinegar all work too.
Italian Seasoning: A little bit of dried herbs goes a long way in bringing herby flavor. Swap it out for fresh herbs like fresh parsley, if you prefer.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the salad with salt and pepper.
Recipe Customizations:
- Add other goodies like capers, banana peppers, chopped artichoke hearts or roasted red bell peppers for even more flavor.
- Feel free to add in your favorite fresh veggies.
- To add a boost of protein, mix in some shredded rotisserie chicken or cook up some sausage and add it in.
- Add one can of drained garbanzo beans, red beans, white beans, or black beans for added fiber.
- Peel one English cucumber, slice it up, and add it if you enjoy classic Greek salads.
- Toss in 1/3 cup of toasted pine nuts for a nutty crunch.
How to Make Greek Couscous Salad:
Cook one cup of couscous according to the package directions. Set aside until ready to use. Be sure to fluff the couscous with a fork occasionally so that it doesn’t all clump together.
As the couscous cooks, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
While the couscous is cooling, heat one tablespoon of avocado oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped spinach. Cook and stir occasionally until the spinach has wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the cooked and cooled couscous to a large mixing bowl along with the rest of the salad ingredients (tomatoes, onion, garlic, feta, olives, and wilted spinach).
In a small bowl, combine the rest of the avocado oil (3 tablespoons), lemon zest, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing into the bowl with the couscous salad and toss everything together until coated in dressing.
Serve alongside your main dish and enjoy!
Store leftover couscous salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The next time you’re craving a side dish with plenty of bold flavors, try out this easy Greek couscous salad recipe! It is one of those loveable favorites that the whole family can enjoy. Make a big batch if you want leftovers, as it disappears quickly.
If you’re looking for more light and refreshing salad recipes, also try these gems.
More Salad Recipes:
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- The Best Broccoli Salad
- Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Sunflower Crunch Kale Salad
- Italian Salad
Greek Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous, uncooked
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- 4 Tbsp avocado oil, divided*
- 5 ounces baby spinach, chopped
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp sea salt, to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook one cup of couscous according to the package directions. Set aside until ready to use. Be sure to fluff the couscous with a fork occasionally so that it doesn’t all clump together. As the couscous cooks, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- While the couscous is cooling, heat one tablespoon of avocado oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped spinach. Cook and stir occasionally until the spinach has wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked and cooled couscous to a large mixing bowl along with the rest of the salad ingredients (tomatoes, onion, garlic, feta, olives, and wilted spinach).
- In a small bowl, combine the rest of the avocado oil (3 tablespoons), lemon zest, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing into the bowl with the couscous salad and toss everything together until coated in dressing.
- Serve alongside your main dish and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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