Couscous Salad with Pickled Cucumber and Ham Recipe
Couscous salad with pickled cucumber and ham is a quick Polish-oriental mix – couscous is ready in 5 minutes, and the rest are familiar flavors from sandwiches and home-style dinners. Ideal for a work lunch, party table or light supper.
This salad combines quick-cooking couscous with classic Polish flavors like pickled cucumbers and ham, creating a satisfying dish that works equally well for lunch boxes and party spreads.
Chef's tips
Let the couscous cool completely before mixing in the other ingredients so the vegetables stay crisp. Adjust the ratio of mayonnaise to yogurt to get your preferred creaminess and lightness.
How to serve
Pack into individual containers for an easy grab-and-go work lunch, or serve in a large bowl topped with extra chives and a few cucumber slices for a party table.
Ingredients
- couscous - 200 g
- boiling water or vegetable stock for soaking the couscous - 250 ml
- cooked ham diced - 150 g
- pickled cucumbers medium - 3 piece
- bell pepper medium - 1 piece
- canned sweetcorn drained - 150 g
- chives chopped - 3 tablespoons
- mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
- yogurt - 3 tablespoons
- mustard e.g. Sarepska or mild deli mustard - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Put the couscous into a bowl and pour over boiling water or hot stock so that the liquid just covers the grains. Cover with a plate and set aside for 5–7 minutes, until the couscous absorbs the liquid and softens.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork to break up any clumps and set aside to cool.
- Dice the pickled cucumbers finely. Wash the bell pepper, remove the core and seeds, and dice.
- Dice the ham. Finely chop the chives.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled couscous, ham, pickled cucumbers, bell pepper, drained sweetcorn and chives.
- In a separate small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, yogurt and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and stir until smooth.
- Add the dressing to the salad and gently mix until all the ingredients are evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate for at least 20–30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj w lodówce w zamkniętym pojemniku. Przed podaniem wymieszaj, bo sos może lekko opaść na dno.
