Description
This Chickpea Couscous Salad is a quick, refreshing, and nutritious dish perfect for a light lunch or side. Combining fluffy couscous with tangy lemon dressing, crunchy vegetables, toasted almonds, and briny olives, it offers a delightful balance of flavors and textures in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Grains and Legumes
- 1 ½ cups couscous
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Vegetables
- 2 Persian cucumbers, small diced
- ½ green bell pepper, small diced
- ¼ cup radish, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced
Add-ins
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons kalamata olives, sliced
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Couscous: In a small pot, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the couscous and stir vigorously for about 30 seconds until most of the water is absorbed.
- Let it Rest: Remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let the couscous stand for 5 minutes to fully absorb the liquid and become fluffy.
- Fluff and Cool: After 5 minutes, fluff the couscous gently with a fork, then transfer it to a large salad bowl to allow it to cool down.
- Prepare Salad Ingredients and Dressing: While the couscous cools, chop the cucumbers, green bell pepper, radishes, green onions, and slice the kalamata olives. Toast the slivered almonds if not already toasted. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, pressed garlic, honey, cumin, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.
- Combine Salad: Add the chickpeas, chopped vegetables, olives, toasted almonds, and dressing to the cooled couscous. Toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Serve or Chill: Enjoy the salad immediately at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour to serve chilled.
Notes
- For extra flavor, toast the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant.
- This salad can be made a few hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- Adjust seasoning with more lemon juice or salt to taste before serving.
- Great as a light meal or served alongside grilled meats or roasted vegetables.
