This easy couscous salad is ready in under 30 minutes! It’s perfect for lunch and best served cold! Give it a try!
I re-discovered couscous, while living in Italy, a couple of months ago. I went to a really nice bar with some friends and they had an amazing aperitivo there! Almost all the food was vegetarian and there were even some vegan options. They had the best couscous salad I have ever tasted! I wasn’t a big couscous fan, but that delicious salad changed me! 🙂 Since then, couscous has become a staple ingredient in my pantry. I love it even more than rice! And I do cook with rice quite often.
Couscous can be a delicious and exotic dish with many benefits to our health. Couscous is delicious and versatile; you can mix it up with all sorts of stews and curries to make a simple and flavorful meal.
Origins of Couscous
Couscous is the name of the traditional North African dish, and it’s made from Durum wheat semolina grains. Couscous was originally made by hand and it was often women’s work because the process was very time-consuming. They make the couscous by taking large grains of semolina, dampening them and breaking them apart with their hands to break it up into smaller and smaller granules until they were ready to cook.
The origin of couscous is uncertain although it is thought to have been invented by the Berbers. Couscous is a staple food in North Africa and it’s the national dish in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Couscous spread to Libya, Mauritania, Egypt, sub-Saharan countries and also the Middle East. Eventually, it managed to make its way to the rest of the world through the influence of the aforementioned cuisines.
Couscous’ popularity is due to its many health benefits and also to the fact that it is a very inexpensive food and it can be preserved for long periods of time. It fits every occasion and it is extremely versatile; it can be mixed with vegetables, meat, legumes, fish, curry, butter, and even fresh fruit to make desserts.
How to make couscous salad?
This is ready in 15-20 minutes tops. I prefer it cold, so I put it in the fridge right away, but you can also eat it hot if you’re very hungry. 🙂 Also, I eat a lot of olive oil. I try to eat 1-2 teaspoons per day at least. So I’m not afraid to drizzle lots of olive oil on this delicious couscous salad. That’s why, in this couscous salad recipe below, I didn’t add a quantity for olive oil. You can but as much or as little as you want.
You can have it with vegetable stews, stir-fries, curries, and any other combination you’d like to try. Remember it’s a very versatile food, so you’re free to have a little fun with the flavors!
I want to hear more about your favorite recipes with couscous! Drop me a comment below!
P.S. The awesome bar I mentioned above is Turné, and it’s in Milano, near Porta Venezia metro station. You should visit it!
Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 200 g couscous
- 400 ml water
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 eggplant diced
- 1 onion diced
- 5 Tbsps olives sliced
- fresh parsley chopped
- olive oil to taste
- salt and ground pepper to taste
- smoked paprika to taste (optional, but recommended)
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a large pan.
- Add all the veggies, except tomatoes, olives, and cucumber. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add couscous and water. Cover, then boil until fluffy and all the water has been absorbed.
- Remove from heat. Add diced tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and chopped fresh parsley. Add olive oil to taste. Mix.
- I prefer this couscous salad served cold, but you can also eat it while it’s hot.
Nutrition
Anne
Sunday 29th of July 2018
Perfect summer dish! Thank you for sharing, Gourmandelle, I really love your blog!
Ruxandra
Friday 3rd of August 2018
Thank you! <3