This recipe is summer cooking at its finest – it’s full of summer produce, and you only have to turn on the stove for long enough to boil some water.  The base for this salad is couscous, which cooks up so fast that it’s ready in 5 minutes.  Consider this an easy, breezy version of the classic pasta salad, minus the giant pot of boiling water and strenuous veggie prep.  It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner as a standalone meal, or as a side to some protein and additional veggies if that’s more your speed!

My favorite part of this recipe is the couscous base.  It’s warm and ever so lightly buttery, which pairs so well with all of the fresh veggies.  I added canned chickpeas and crumbled feta for meat-free proteins, and fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and briny olives to complete that pasta salad vibe.   Simply prep your veggies while the water is coming up to a boil, and have everything ready to mix together when the couscous is finished cooking.  Serve warm for a comforting meal, or use as meal prep for cold lunches or sides throughout the week.

Recipe down below, photo up top!  This made enough for 2-3 big servings for dinner on it’s own, and would be a good amount for about 4 sides.

Summertime Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup couscous
• 1 ¼ cup water
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1-2 large tomatoes
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup olives, roughly chopped
• 1 cucumber, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, add the water and butter, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add the couscous and stir once to combine.  Cover the pan and turn off the pan from the heat, and allow the couscous to steam and cook through for 5-6 minutes.  Once the couscous is cooked, remove the lid and fluff lightly with a fork, and set aside to assemble the rest of the salad.
   1. If your package of couscous calls for more/less water or longer/shorter cooking times, follow the package instructions instead of these instructions!  These instructions should get you close if you don’t have a starting recipe.
2. Wash and roughly chop your tomatoes, and wash and dice the cucumbers.  Add these to a large bowl.
3. Roughly chop thoroughly drained olives and add them to the bowl, and drain and crumble the feta cheese into the bowl.  Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and add this to the large bowl as well.  Stir all of the veggies, beans, and cheese to combine.
4. Add the slightly cooled couscous to the veggies, beans, and cheese, and stir to combine. 
5. Serve immediately while warm, or store in the refrigerator for use as a light salad at a later time.
6. Grab a bowlful and enjoy!