With the intense heat of summer, let’s admit it: we don’t always feel like cooking or turning on the stove. When temperatures rise, nothing beats simple, fresh, flavorful dishes, preferably without any cooking! That’s exactly why I often turn to salads, and especially this one I enjoy a lot: couscous salad.
Couscous Salad or Tabbouleh?
In France couscous salad is commonly called tabbouleh. However tabbouleh refers to a Lebanese dish, very rich in fresh herbs, combined with a little bulgur and plenty of lemon. This traditional Levantine dish offers intense herbal notes. The version I’m sharing today is different and much more popular in Western countries, and particularly in France. The french tabbouleh is prepared with couscous semolina. It’s just as delicious, but with a different texture and balance, even though the ingredients are quite similar.
Couscous salad is made with several simple ingredients that are easy to find:
– uncooked medium-grain couscous semolina
– fresh tomatoes
– onion
– fresh herbs: mint and parsley
– a generous dressing made with lemon juice and olive oil
A No-Cook Preparation
The main advantage of this recipe is that it requires no cooking. All the ingredients are mixed together, then the mixture is refrigerated for several hours. During that time, the semolina absorbs the juices from the tomatoes, the lemon juice, and the olive oil. The result is a fragrant, light, and refreshing dish—without any cooking. Another benefit is that it can be prepared in advance and keeps very well in the refrigerator.
3 Good Reasons to Love This Recipe
1. Easy, no-cook recipe
No need to turn anything on! Just mix everything together, let it rest… and it’s ready.
2. Fresh, summery flavours
Lemon, tomato, and herbs… a real burst of freshness on the plate.
3. Versatile
Couscous salad pairs wonderfully with grilled meats and fish.
How to Customize Couscous salad
Couscous salad is a perfect base that you can easily adapt to your taste and preferences: add diced cucumber for extra freshness, mix in some raisins for a sweet-and-savoury touch, or finely chopped red bell pepper for a bit of crunch.
Couscous salad is the ultimate dish for hot days: quick, affordable, no-cooking-required, and incredibly flavorful. It’s just as perfect for a picnic as it is for a barbecue. It can also be served as a main dish or as a side at the table. A must-have recipe that truly tastes like summer!
Couscous salad: My Summer Essential
Équipements
Ingredients
- 250 g medium-grain couscous
- 4 tomatoes
- 1 small onion
- 3 tbsp parsley
- 3 tbsp mint
- 2 lemons
- 8 tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Finely dice the tomatoes.
- Finely chop the onion.
- Finely chop the mint and parsley.
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl: the couscous, diced tomatoes, chopped onion, juice from 2 lemons, herbs, and olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix it all together.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
