Lemony Couscous Salad Recipe

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Healthy, satisfying and bursting with bright flavor, this Lemony Couscous recipe is ready in 25 minutes or less. Featuring tender couscous pasta tossed with asparagus, snap peas, creamy ricotta, and a citrusy lemon vinaigrette. Quick and easy to prepare, this couscous lemon salad is a delicious side for any meal. Plus it’s perfectly packable and portable for picnics, potlucks, and barbecues too!

Update: This recipe was originally published in June 2019. I made updates to the article below to include more information about making the best lemony couscous with asparagus at home. 

About this lemony couscous 

This is what summer salads should look like, friends! Light, refreshing, full of texture and bursting with flavors, this lemony salad is going to become your go-to salad for summer!!

Savory, chewy pearl couscous tossed with tender-crisp, thinly sliced asparagus and snap peas; crunchy radishes, delicate chives, pungent onions, salty ricotta salata and fresh mint leaves. Finished with a silky, luscious, tangy lemon dijon dressing, this lemony couscous salad is bursting with refreshing, vibrant flavors!

Plus, this couscous salad with lemon is perfect for meal prep! And, it serves great at room temperature, cold and warm, making it the perfect side dish for picnics, potlucks and summer BBQs! It’s absolutely perfect with a grilled protein, such as chicken, shrimp and salmon for a healthy, light summer dinner! Essentially, this lemon couscous salad is perfect for any and every occasion!

If you’re looking for more recipes bursting with lemony goodness, be sure to try these fan-favorites next: Recipe for Greek Lemon Rice, Honey Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry, Lemon Baked Salmon Asparagus Recipe, Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon, and Creamy Lemon Pasta with Chicken.

What is lemon couscous salad?

A couscous salad is a quick and healthy dish made of fluffy cooked couscous tossed with veggies and a dressing or vinaigrette. The salad couscous can also include protein such as meat, chicken, fish or shrimp depending on the recipe.

Couscous is made from crushed wheat semolina formed into tiny spheres. There are three types of couscous common in salads – Moroccan couscous (the smallest in size), Israeli couscous (also called pearl couscous), and Lebanese couscous (the largest in size).

This lemony salad utilizes Israeli couscous which resembles tiny pearls of pasta and has a chewy, firm texture. Pearl, or Israeli couscous is located in the pasta or rice aisle of most major grocery stores. However, if you can’t locate it, you can substitute any small pasta such as orzo or you can use regular couscous.

How to make this lemony couscous recipe?

This recipe for lemon couscous salad is easy to make and can be ready and on the table in 30 minutes or less!

• Cook the couscous.  Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling water. Then, drain and set aside.
• Sauté the asparagus and snap peas.  Cook the asparagus and snap peas in a large skillet over high heat until bright in color. Then, set aside to cool. (If you want to serve the vegetables raw, simply omit this step.)
• Make the dressing.  In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Then, taste and adjust for seasoning before setting aside.
• Toss the salad.  In a large bowl, toss together the couscous, vegetables and half of the dressing. (Note: make sure you toss the salad while the couscous is still warm so it soaks up all the flavor!)
• Serve.  Add the ricotta, chives and mint to the couscous lemon salad. Then, drizzle with more dressing before topping with cheese and fresh lemon zest. Serve and enjoy!

Serving lemon couscous recipes

You can serve lemon couscous warm, cold or at room temperature. Also, you can serve this dish as a stand alone vegetarian main, or as an accompaniment to a wide variety of entrees. Couscous salad is a refreshing way to get out of your boring rice side dish rut!

Below are a few dishes that will pair well with this lemony couscous recipe:

• Chicken (grill, sear, roast, poach)
• Salmon (grill, sear, roast, poach)
• Steak (grill, pan-sear)
• Shrimp (grill, pan-sear roast, poach)

Or give your next family dinner a fun lemon theme by serving your couscous with a Pink Lemonade Vodka Cocktail and lemon cake mix cookies for dessert!

Storing leftovers

You can keep cooked lemony couscous salad at room temperature for up to 2 hours. After that, you’ll need to store the leftover couscous in an airtight container. Leftovers will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze this?

While you can freeze cooked pasta, I do not recommend freezing this lemon couscous salad as a whole – rather store it as separate parts.

To freeze this recipe, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions and allow it to cool completely. Then, transfer the couscous to a freezer bag. Finally, remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag and storing it in the freezer.

Light and full of flavor, you will want to make this lemon couscous salad all summer long!

Until next week, friends, cheers! To vibrant summer salads!

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More couscous recipes!

• Pearl Couscous Salad
• Pesto Couscous
• Chicken with Moroccan Couscous

Lemon Couscous Salad Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

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This quick and easy lemon couscous salad is healthy, light and bursting with fresh flavor!  Packed with asparagus, snap peas, ricotta salata and a citrusy lemon vinaigrette this salad is perfect for lunch, as a side dish or light dinners!

Equipment

• 1 Large Pot or Saucepan
• 1 skillet (optional – for sautéing veggies)

Ingredients 

• 1 ½ Cups Uncooked Pearl Couscous (7.5 ounces)
• ¾ pound Thin Asparagus Spears – trimmed & cut on bias (SEE NOTES)
• 12 ounces Sugar Snap Peas – cut on bias
• 1 large Shallot – finely diced
• 4-5 Radishes – thinly sliced
• 8 ounces Ricotta Salata – crumbled (you can substitute feta)
• 1/3 Cup Chives – Sliced
• 1/3 Cup Parmesan – grated or shaved, or more to taste
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Mint Leaves – torn
• To Taste Flakey Maldon Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Dressing:

• 7 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil – divided
• 1 ½ tsp Dijon Mustard
• 4 TBS Lemon Juice
• 1 TBS Honey
• 1 tsp Lemon Zest – plus more for garnish

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Instructions

• Cook the couscous: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then season the water generously with salt (SEE NOTES). Add the couscous and cook to al dente according to directions on the package. Then, drain the couscous and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Next, drain again, gently shaking the colander to remove all the excess water. Set cooked couscous aside.
• OPTIONAL – Saute Veggies: While the couscous is cooking and cooling, sauté the asparagus and snap peas*: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a heavy large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the sliced asparagus and snap peas. Season with salt and pepper. Quickly sauté, tossing constantly, until tender-crisp and bright in color, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Make the dressing: In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the remaining 6 tablespoons of the oil with the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt and scant ¼ teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.* Set aside
• Toss salad: Add the cooled couscous to the bowl of asparagus and snap peas. Toss to combine. Add in the shallots and sliced radishes. Drizzle with half of the dressing. Toss to well to combine. (If serving later, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate).
• To serve: Add the ricotta, chives and mint to the salad. Taste and adjust with more dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Finish with parmesan, lemon zest and drizzle with any remaining dressing if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

1. Cooking Pearl Couscous: If you want to add more flavor to your couscous, cook it in unsalted vegetable or chicken broth instead of water! Or, you can use a mixture of broth and water!
2. Quickly sautéing the sliced asparagus and snap peas is completely optional; however, it’s recommended if you’re serving younger bellies. Personally, I love this salad with raw asparagus and snap peas. 
   • Asparagus: I recommend you also peel the stems of the asparagus after trimming if you are going to skip step 2 of the recipe and serve the asparagus raw.
3. Dressing Couscous: Make sure you add the vinaigrette to the couscous while the couscous is still warm!  Warm couscous will soak up all the flavor from the dressing while cold couscous will simply swim in the dressing.
4. Adjust to Taste! Always make sure you taste the food and adjust the seasonings as you are cooking or mixing! This is especially true with the salad dressing. If you want a sweeter dressing, add more honey.  For a tarter dressing, add more lemon juice and/or zest.  If the dressing just tastes bland, add more salt and pepper. BUT, just remember, the dressing is one component of the couscous salad and will taste completely different once every element is tossed together!

Nutritional information is an estimate based upon 8 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal    Carbohydrates: 34g    Protein: 11g    Fat: 17g    Saturated Fat: 5g    Cholesterol: 17mg    Sodium: 109mg    Potassium: 292mg    Fiber: 4g    Sugar: 5g    Vitamin A: 1095IU    Vitamin C: 33.2mg    Calcium: 150mg    Iron: 2.5mg

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

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