Ready in minutes and packed full of vegetables, this Mediterranean couscous salad makes a great side dish for a weeknight dinner or a simple meal prep idea for a hearty vegetarian lunch! Plus, the ingredients are incredibly versatile and you can mix and match the vegetables with whatever you have on hand.

Although it is often thought of as a grain, couscous is made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour making it a form of pasta and source of carbohydrate. Although traditionally served as a side dish with meat or stews, couscous is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many different ways. Most of the couscous available in North American grocery stores is instant or quick-cooking couscous, so it cooks in minutes and is absolutely foolproof – if you can boil water, you can make couscous. Not to mention, it stores incredibly well in the fridge once cooked, so it’s the perfect ingredient for make-ahead salads or meal prep.
This Mediterranean couscous salad is just one of the many salads that you can make with couscous, but I particularly love this one because it’s so quick and easy to prepare; just prep the couscous, chop some veggies and you’re done! This recipe calls for a homemade lemon garlic dressing, but if you’re looking to save some time simply grab an olive oil-based dressing at the grocery store and you’ll be good to go.
More Couscous Recipes:
- Chicken Couscous Skillet
- Greek Chickpea Bowls
- Curried Couscous Chickpea Salad
- Mediterranean Meal Prep Bowls
- Couscous Kale Salad

Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Filled with Greek flavours, this Mediterranean couscous salad recipe is quick and easy to make, and packed full of fresh vegetables and fibre making it a healthy side dish or simple lunch.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
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Total Time: 10 minutes
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Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Category: Salads, Sides
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Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup couscous, dry
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the couscous according to package directions.
- While the couscous is cooking, chop all of the vegetables and prepare the dressing. Add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper to a bowl and whisk to combine, set aside.
- Once the couscous is cooked, add it to a large bowl, fluffing it with a fork, then add the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, black olives and parsley and toss to combine.
- Cover the salad with the dressing, toss to combine, then top with crumbled feta and additional salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to add a bit more lemon juice for brightness if needed.
- This salad can be eaten immediately or stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 238
- Sugar: 4 grams
- Fat: 14 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
easy recipe and super delicious!
I loved this salad. It was so fresh and the dressing was simple but tasty. I unfortunately made too much so I’ll be eating this for a few days. Paired it with souvlaki and Greek pita bread and satisfied my Greek craving.
Made this salad and it was a hit with the family! Definitely will be making it again. I doubled the lemon dressing for this recipe for extra flavor!
This salad is the best! I can’t get enough! The only thing though about the recipe is google ads are covering the first part of the instructions, which is annoying!,
I made this and followed the recipe exactly other than using Kalamata olives instead of black olives and absolutely love it. I will definitely make again. Thank you for this recipe!
I’m so happy you liked it and love the alternation. Thank you so much for sharing!