Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Bright, refreshing, and packed with bold flavors, this Vegan Mediterranean Couscous Salad is the ultimate plant-based side or light main dish! Featuring fluffy whole wheat couscous combined with crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, tangy kalamata olives, and sweet red bell pepper, it's brought to life with fresh parsley and mint. A zesty lemon garlic dressing ties it all together, making every bite explode with vibrant Mediterranean flair. Not only is this salad easy to prepare in under 20 minutes, but it's also perfect for meal prepping, picnics, or a healthy lunch on the go. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for a wholesome, gluten-free-friendly (opt for GF couscous) addition to any occasion.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup Whole wheat couscous
- 1.25 cups Boiling water
- 0.25 cup Olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
- 1 small Cucumber
- 1 medium Red bell pepper
- 0.5 cup Kalamata olives
- 0.25 cup Red onion
- 0.5 cup Fresh parsley
- 0.25 cup Fresh mint
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
Place the whole wheat couscous in a large heatproof bowl.
Pour 1.25 cups of boiling water over the couscous, cover with a lid or plate, and let it sit for 5 minutes until the water is absorbed.
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Fluff the couscous with a fork after it has absorbed the water, then let it cool to room temperature.
Halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the cucumber into bite-sized pieces, dice the red bell pepper, slice the kalamata olives, and finely dice the red onion.
Chop the fresh parsley and mint roughly.
In a large salad bowl, combine the fluffed couscous, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, olives, red onion, parsley, and mint.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well combined.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary by adding more salt or lemon juice.
Let the salad rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, then serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1156 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 87.7 g | 112% | |
| Saturated Fat | 12.7 g | 64% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5.4 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 2652 mg | 115% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 81.9 g | 30% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 17.4 g | 62% | |
| Total Sugars | 13.2 g | ||
| Protein | 12.8 g | 26% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 249 mg | 19% | |
| Iron | 8.4 mg | 47% | |
| Potassium | 1274 mg | 27% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
