Turkish Couscous Salad with Roasted Peppers and Sheep Cheese Recipe
This colorful salad combines fine couscous, sweet roasted peppers, and salty sheep cheese in a light lemon dressing. In Turkey, similar salads are often packed for work or picnics because they taste great cold and don’t need reheating. The flavor is a bit like a Mediterranean pasta salad, but lighter and more herb-forward.
This salad brings together classic Turkish flavors in a simple, packable dish that tastes even better after the ingredients have had time to mingle. Roasted peppers add sweetness and smokiness, while the salty sheep cheese and fresh herbs keep it bright and satisfying without feeling heavy.
Chef's tips
Don’t skip the step of covering the hot roasted peppers—this makes peeling them much easier and prevents bits of burnt skin in the salad. Fluff the couscous thoroughly so it stays light and doesn’t clump. Season with salt cautiously at first, then adjust after adding the cheese, as it can be quite salty.
How to serve
Serve with grilled chicken, lamb skewers, or fish, or pair it with hummus, olives, and flatbread for a vegetarian mezze-style meal. It also works well as a make-ahead lunch in a container, with extra lemon wedges on the side.
Ingredients
- fine couscous - 200 g
- water hot, for soaking the couscous - 220 ml
- red bell pepper - 2 pieces
- sheep cheese feta-style, for crumbling - 120 g
- cucumber medium, fresh - 1 piece
- cherry tomatoes - 10 pieces
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- lemon juice freshly squeezed - 2 tablespoons
- flat-leaf parsley chopped - 3 tablespoons
- fresh mint chopped, optional - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste, carefully as the cheese is salty
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cut the peppers in half, remove the cores and seeds, place them skin-side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and put into an oven preheated to 220°C with grill or top–bottom heat.
- Roast the peppers for 10–15 minutes, until the skin is well darkened and charred in spots, then transfer them to a bowl and cover with a plate or foil for 10 minutes so the skin loosens easily.
- Meanwhile, put the couscous into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, pour over the hot water, cover with a plate, and set aside for 10 minutes until it absorbs the liquid.
- Dice the cucumber finely, cut the cherry tomatoes in halves, and crumble the sheep cheese into small pieces with your fingers.
- Peel the skin off the peppers and cut the flesh into strips or larger cubes.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains, then add the peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and mint.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and pepper to make a simple dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, gently toss, then add the crumbled sheep cheese and very gently mix again so you don’t mash the cheese.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more pepper or lemon juice if needed.
Storage
Sałatka najlepiej smakuje pierwszego dnia; po nocy w lodówce kuskus może wchłonąć część sosu, więc przed podaniem dodaj łyżkę oliwy i odrobinę soku z cytryny, a następnie wymieszaj.
