Turkish Pearl Couscous Salad with Vegetables Recipe
A colorful salad with pearl couscous, crunchy vegetables, olives, and feta cheese, drizzled with a lemon-herb dressing. In Turkey, similar salads often appear at home gatherings and picnics because they travel well and can sit on the table for a while. The flavor is reminiscent of a mix between a pasta salad and tabbouleh, but with larger couscous pearls.
This salad combines the comforting bite of pearl couscous with the freshness of herbs and vegetables, creating a dish that is both satisfying and light. It keeps well, travels easily, and tastes even better after the flavors have had time to meld, making it ideal for meal prep, picnics, and buffets.
Chef's tips
Make sure the couscous is fully cooled before mixing in the vegetables so they stay crisp. If you’re preparing the salad in advance, you can keep the dressing and feta separate and add them shortly before serving to preserve the best texture.
How to serve
Serve in a large shallow bowl so the colorful ingredients are visible. Pair with grilled chicken, lamb skewers, or roasted vegetables. For a mezze-style spread, serve alongside hummus, baba ganoush, and warm flatbread.
Ingredients
- pearl couscous - 250 g
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- cucumber - 1 piece
- tomatoes - 200 g
- olives - 60 g
- feta cheese - 80 g
- parsley finely chopped - 3 tablespoon
- mint finely chopped - 1 tablespoon
- lemon - 1 piece
- olive oil - 4 tablespoon
- garlic - 1 clove
- salt
- black pepper
Preparation
- Cook the pearl couscous in salted water according to the package instructions (usually 10–12 minutes), until soft but still springy. Drain in a sieve and briefly rinse with cold water so it doesn’t stick together. Set aside to cool.
- Deseed the bell pepper and cut it into small cubes. Wash the cucumber, peel it if needed, cut it lengthwise, remove the seeds, and dice.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters. Slice the olives. Crumble the feta cheese into small pieces.
- Finely chop the parsley and mint. Peel the garlic and finely chop it or press it through a garlic press.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooled couscous with the bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and herbs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper until you get a smooth dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, add the crumbled feta, and gently toss everything together. Taste and, if needed, season with a bit more salt (keeping in mind that feta and olives are salty) and pepper.
- Let the salad rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature or in the fridge so the flavors meld, then serve.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I love making this salad a few hours before guests arrive—the flavors deepen over time, and it takes the pressure off last-minute cooking. It’s also one of those dishes that easily adapts to what you have in the fridge, so don’t hesitate to swap in seasonal vegetables or extra herbs.
