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.

Summer Couscous Salad

a zingy and refreshing couscous salad with summer veggies and herbs

Total Time: 20

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 (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.