Description
Healthy, veggie-forward Mediterranean couscous salad with grilled vegetables and a creamy basil lemon feta dressing—perfect for summer.
Equipment
Grill Pan or grill
Ingredients
1cuppearl couscous
1zucchini, cut into long slices
1yellow squash, cut into long slices
1red bell pepper, cut into long slices, removing the stem and seeds
1Poblano pepper, cut into long slices, removing the stem and seeds
1small red onion, peeled and cut in to large wedges keeping the core intact
8ouncesmushrooms
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
2tablespoonslemon juice
1teaspoondijon mustard
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoononion powder
¼cupfeta cheese, crumbled
¼cupbasil leaves, packed and roughly chopped
Olive oil spray
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 ½ cups of water and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the couscous. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 12 minutes. Turn the heat off, vent the lid, and let sit while you prep the rest of the salad.
Add the cut veggies to a large mixing bowl. Spray generously with the olive oil spray and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Transfer the veggies to the grill in an even layer. Cook, flipping a few times, until soft and nicely charred, about 10 minutes. Remove the veggies from the grill and turn the heat off. Let the vegetables sit until they’re cool enough to handle.
In the meantime, make the dressing. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, feta cheese, basil, and 1 tablespoon of water to a small food processor. Season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Blend until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, cut them into bite-size pieces and add them to a mixing bowl. Add the couscous and dressing and toss to combine. Best served warm or room temperature.
Last Step:
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Notes
Dressing made ½ cup. Salad made 5 cups.
Variations:
- Vegetables: If you don’t like one of the veggies or are missing one, use extra of another, or replace it with asparagus, shallots or tomatoes. (You can grill the tomatoes or dice them and add them raw.)
- Pearl Couscous Swaps: Orzo is the best substitute, but any small-shaped pasta would work.
- Gluten-Free Options: If you can find it, substitute gluten-free pearl couscous. You can also use gluten-free orzo or quinoa.
- Dairy-Free and Vegan: Omit the feta. The dressing won’t be as creamy, but it’ll still be delish.
- Make It a Main Dish: Add diced grilled chicken or grilled shrimp to add protein. To keep it vegetarian, add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas for some plant-based protein.
- No grill? Cook the veggies on a grill pan on your stove or under the broiler. To broil, place the vegetables on a foil-lined sheet pan and broil for about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them because it doesn’t take long for them to go from perfectly cooked to burned.
Nutrition
Serving: 3/4 cup (generous), Calories: 212kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 8.5g, Fat: 4.5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 5.5mg, Sodium: 100mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5.5g