The couscous cooks with the peas added in the last few minutes, then cools completely while the other vegetables get cut. Cucumber, avocado, and celery bring three different kinds of crunch and creaminess, and the feta adds the salt and tang that ties everything together. The dressing is just olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; simple enough that nothing competes for attention, which is exactly the point.
This comes together in under twenty minutes and works equally well as a light dinner or a more substantial lunch. The couscous can be swapped for orzo or farro, the feta for goat cheese or ricotta, and the parsley for mint or cilantro. This recipe is built to flex around what’s in the fridge while keeping its essential balance intact.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Pearl couscous
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Green peas
- Celery
- Feta cheese
- Parsley
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
How to Make Couscous Salad with Feta & Greens
- Step 1 – Cook the couscous according to the directions on the packaging. Add the peas the last 5 minutes. Drain, rinse and cool.
- Step 2 – While the couscous cooks, cut the vegetables to a desired size and crumble the feta.
- Step 3 – Chop the parsley.
- Step 4 – Mix the oil, lemon juice and salt & pepper into a vinaigrette.
- Step 5 – When the couscous is cooled, mix everything and taste. You may want to add salt and/or pepper.
- Step 6 – Serve and ENJOY!
Alternatives and Substitutes
- You can also use orzo or farro, instead of pearl couscous
- As for a cheese, goat cheese would work well, or cottage cheese or ricotta. Or an Emmentaler cheese.
- If you don’t want to use green peas, try green beans, slightly cooked can easily replace the green peas.
- Instead of parsley, use mint or cilantro and you’ll have a different but equally interesting twist.
Other Pearl Couscous Recipes to Try
- Cauliflower Couscous with Brie and Pepitas
- Couscous Arugula Strawberry Salad
- Grilled Apricot Couscous Salad
Couscous Salad with Feta & Greens
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 1/2 cup pearl couscous
- 1/2 cup green peas, frozen
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, diced (skin on or off)
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil, add pearl couscous and cook for 8-10 minutes or according to directions on packaging.
- Add green peas the last 5 minutes.
- Drain and rinse with cold water to cool down. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Place crumbled feta, chopped vegetable, parsley and couscous/peas mix in a bowl.
- Mix olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper into a vinaigrette.
- Add vinaigrette to bowl and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Instead of couscous, you can use orzo or farro
- Instead of feta, you can use goat cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese or a mild cheese like Emmentaler, Jarlsberg or Monterey Jack
- Instead of green peas, you can use green beans
- Instead of parsley, you can use mint or cilantro
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.