Summer Couscous Salad
Israeli couscous loaded with peaches, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, herbsaplenty, and simply dressed with plenty of fresh lemon and olive oil is a wildlyversatile, crowd-pleasing summer smorgasbord salad that never gets old.
Servings: 8 side servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra as needed)
- 1 1/2 cups Israeli (aka pearl) couscous (GF friends can substitute quinoa or brown rice!)
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus extra to taste
- 2 ears sweet corn, kernels removed (or 1.5 cups frozen or canned sweet corn)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 peaches, pitted and diced
- 1 dry pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced crosswise into 3/4-inch rounds (I love to use heirloom cherry tomatoes for color and flavor variety.)
- 3 whole scallions, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 packed cup fresh cilantro or basil leaves, finely chopped (If you like things extra herb-y, feel free to use ¾ cup)
- 1/4 packed cup fresh mint leaves
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the couscous and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden. (Toasting the couscous like this will enhance its flavor!) Add the water and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the pan and bring to a boil. Immediately lower to a simmer, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is tender. Transfer to a large mixing bowl or baking dish.
- Wipe out the pan and return it to the stovetop over medium heat.Add ½ tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the corn, the remaining ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the corn is tender and lightly browned in spots. Transfer to the bowl with the couscous. Set aside to allow the couscous and corn to cool to room temperature. (Use this time to prep the remaining ingredients for the salad.)
- Add the peaches, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro or basil, mint, lemon juice, and the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil to the cooled couscous and corn, and fold everything together with a spatula. Taste and season with a little extra salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
- This couscous salad can be fully assembled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day. (It’s fine to eat for up to 4 days after assembly, but it’s best in the first 24 hours.)
- Remove the couscous from the fridge 20-30 minutes before serving. You never want to serve anything directly from the fridge as the cold mutes the flavors.
- If the couscous seems a little dry, add an extra drizzle of olive oil and/or lemon juice to perk it up!