This simple summer salad combines chewy israeli couscous (the large kind!) with some raw juicy and crunchy summer veggies that get tossed in a bright cilantro lime dressing. It’s a perfect side to anything grilled, like this Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken or a simple grilled sausage.
Ingredient Highlight
Fresh herbs! All fresh herbs (like cilantro!) contain essential oils that aid in digestion, improve circulation, reduce the risk of heart disease, and phytonutrients that fight inflammation (to name a few!).
Read my full blog post about fresh herbs here!
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 1 cup (5-6 oz) Israeli couscous (or other small pasta shape)(about 2 ½ cups)*
- 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeds removed, chopped (about 2 cups cooked)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or chopped bell pepper
- 1 cup corn kernels (from about 2 ears corn) or use frozen, thawed corn**
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ red onion, finely chopped***
- ½ cup crumbled feta or shredded cheddar (optional, for topping)
For the dressing:
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro (leaves and stems)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- *Make it a green salad by using 4-5 cups arugula, spinach, or any lettuce/green in place of couscous.
- **Throw the corn on the grill when you make the zucchini or burgers for grilled corn rather than raw.
- ***If you have pickled red onions in your fridge (which I pretty much always do), just chop those up instead of using raw onion. It’s delicious!
- Add protein! ~ Throw a can of beans in the or serve with a side of grilled chicken.
Instructions
- Cook the couscous according to the package instructions. Transfer to a large plate or bowl, spread out, and let cool completely.
- In a high-speed blender, add the dressing ingredients. Start by blending on low and slowly increasing to high and continue to blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, add the couscous, cucumber, tomato or pepper, corn, cilantro, and red onion. Pour the dressing over top and toss to coat.
- Serve topped with cheese, if using.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the dressing
- Cook 1 cup (5-6 oz) Israeli couscous (or other small pasta shape)
- Peel, de-seed, and chop 2 cucumbers (about 2 cups)
- Halve 1 – 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes or chopped 1 bell pepper
- Cut 1 cup corn kernels from about 2 ears corn (or skip and use frozen, thawed corn)
- Chop ½ cup cilantro
- Finely chop ¼ red onion
Substitutions:
- Use any short pasta shape in place of couscous.
- To make gluten-free, use a short gluten-free pasta shape or about 2 ½ cups of any other cooked gluten-free grain.
- There are about 4 cups worth of chopped veg in the salad. Feel free to substitute the cucumber, corn, or tomato with any other raw summer veggie (bell pepper, radish, celery, fennel, etc…).
- Sub about ½ cup thinly sliced scallion for the red onion, or leave it out if you don’t like raw onion
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Enjoy straight out of the fridge or let it come to room temp. Add a squeeze of lime and sprinkle of salt to wake it up since the couscous will absorb a lot of that dressing.
- Top with cheese, avocado, and pickled red onion.
- Top with a fried egg, leftover chopped up BBQ turkey quinoa burger, or grilled chicken.
Servings 4 People Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 1 cup (5-6 oz) Israeli couscous (or other small pasta shape)(about 2 ½ cups)*
- 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeds removed, chopped (about 2 cups cooked)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or chopped bell pepper
- 1 cup corn kernels (from about 2 ears corn) or use frozen, thawed corn**
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ red onion, finely chopped***
- ½ cup crumbled feta or shredded cheddar (optional, for topping)
For the dressing:
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro (leaves and stems)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- *Make it a green salad by using 4-5 cups arugula, spinach, or any lettuce/green in place of couscous.
- **Throw the corn on the grill when you make the zucchini or burgers for grilled corn rather than raw.
- ***If you have pickled red onions in your fridge (which I pretty much always do), just chop those up instead of using raw onion. It’s delicious!
- Add protein! ~ Throw a can of beans in the or serve with a side of grilled chicken.
Instructions
- Cook the couscous according to the package instructions. Transfer to a large plate or bowl, spread out, and let cool completely.
- In a high-speed blender, add the dressing ingredients. Start by blending on low and slowly increasing to high and continue to blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, add the couscous, cucumber, tomato or pepper, corn, cilantro, and red onion. Pour the dressing over top and toss to coat.
- Serve topped with cheese, if using.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the dressing
- Cook 1 cup (5-6 oz) Israeli couscous (or other small pasta shape)
- Peel, de-seed, and chop 2 cucumbers (about 2 cups)
- Halve 1 - 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes or chopped 1 bell pepper
- Cut 1 cup corn kernels from about 2 ears corn (or skip and use frozen, thawed corn)
- Chop ½ cup cilantro
- Finely chop ¼ red onion
Substitutions:
- Use any short pasta shape in place of couscous.
- To make gluten-free, use a short gluten-free pasta shape or about 2 ½ cups of any other cooked gluten-free grain.
- There are about 4 cups worth of chopped veg in the salad. Feel free to substitute the cucumber, corn, or tomato with any other raw summer veggie (bell pepper, radish, celery, fennel, etc…).
- Sub about ½ cup thinly sliced scallion for the red onion, or leave it out if you don’t like raw onion
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Enjoy straight out of the fridge or let it come to room temp. Add a squeeze of lime and sprinkle of salt to wake it up since the couscous will absorb a lot of that dressing.
- Top with cheese, avocado, and pickled red onion.
- Top with a fried egg, leftover chopped up BBQ turkey quinoa burger, or grilled chicken.
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