A bright and zingy couscous salad with crunchy summer veggies and fresh herbs.
When I think of summer I think of lemonade, summer hats, flowers in bloom and couscous salad. Couscous salad is especially delicious in the summer when so many colourful vegetables are in season. Ripe tomatoes, fresh cucumber and sweet red onions are all delicious add-ins used in this seasonal couscous salad. To give the salad a zing, we are also adding lemon juice and feta cheese. For a fresh flavour we are seasoning it with mint, parsley and chives. And let’s not forget adding a crunchy element! Toasted sunflower seeds aren’t just tasty, they are also packed with healthy fats to keep you full longer. This salad is a truly a great source of vitamins and fibre!
There are so many reasons to give this couscous salad a try. Here are a few:
- incredibly flavourful
- packed with vitamins and fibre
- inexpensive
- quick (no cooking required!)
- can be made ahead
- not too heavy
- picnic approved
Last year during the summer, I was so busy unpacking all our things after our big move, I barely had the energy to cook. I literally unpacked over 30 large boxes. (We are two adults, without kids…how can we possibly have so many things?!) My husband started his new job immediately after arriving in Switzerland so it was up to me to get us settled in. It was a stressful time but also a really great time. I still remember how excited I was about every room I finished furnishing and how great it was to meet new people and see new places. I took a bit of a break from blogging and just focused on settling in. After the majority of the boxes were unpacked and we had a bit of furniture in our apartment, I also started cooking again. I developed a new kind of joy for cooking in my new kitchen. As soon as we finished building the vegetable beds and I was able to grow my own herbs and veggies, I was unstoppable. I was incredibly inspired and cooking up new recipes non-stop. This couscous salad being one of them.
Picnic
As I mentioned, couscous salad is a great meal for summer because it’s not too heavy. You can enjoy this on a hot day without feeling tired or weighed down afterwards. What I also really love about it is how it tastes wonderful slightly chilled or at room temperature. This makes it a great meal to bring along on your next picnic. You can portion it into Tupperware containers or glass jars and enjoy it on top of a hill. No need to chill or cut it!
If you give this couscous salad a try, let me know in the comment section down below. I always love hearing from you guys.
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Summer Couscous Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
a zingy and refreshing couscous salad with summer veggies and herbs
Ingredients
- 375ml water (1 and 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- juice of 1 lemon
- 180g couscous (1 cup)
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 1 small red onion
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsley
- 1 handful chives
- 2 stems mint
- 100g feta cheese or vegan feta cheese* (3.5oz)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 handful toasted sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add in salt, garlic powder, lemon juice as well as the couscous. Cover with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, dice the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Chop the parsley, chives and mint into fine pieces.
- Fluff up the couscous with a fork. Add the diced vegetables and herbs. Crumble feta cheese over the salad and add olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds and serve at room temperature.
Notes
*Such as from Violife
Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
When a man is found on a Norfolk beach, drifting in and out of consciousness, with no identification and unable to speak, interest in him is sparked immediately. Who is this man?
I’m Natanja, a blogger, food photographer, web development student and lavender enthusiast. Here on Home Baked Bliss, I get to share mouth-watering recipes, easy DIYs and everything related to the home with you. I hope it will make you feel inspired!
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