This Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad recipe combines pearl couscous with tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and a light citrus dressing.
Who are my tabbouleh salad fans?
That minty-herbal, tomato and cucumber packed salad that’s so refreshing with just a hint of citrus. I’d include myself in that group but there’s one thing I don’t love about it… Sometimes I find it to be a bit dry… I think it’s the fact that the couscous drinks up all the yummy dressing…
So, I changed things up a bit with this Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad recipe.
What is Israeli Couscous?
Israeli couscous is different from regular couscous. It’s fatter. Also known as pearl couscous, it’s like little dots of pasta that pop in your mouth. And, it always brings back memories of a soup that my Nana used to make – It was basically a chicken noodle soup but instead of using noodles, she used these little dots of pasta, which I’m pretty sure were technically Israeli couscous. My brother and I called it “Dot Soup.”
I’m using those dots of pasta in this tabbouleh salad – making it a bit of a twist on a pasta salad and a traditional tabbouleh. What I love about it is that the dressing doesn’t get soaked up so much, instead it just perfectly coats those beads of couscous and dresses the herbs and vegetables so nicely.
Here’s my tips on how to make the perfect pot of Israeli Couscous.
This Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad would be perfect served alongside some grilled lamb, or you could even just make a batch of it and have it as a grab-and-go weekday lunch.
It’s perfect to make ahead because the veggies don’t get soggy. Try packing it alongside some hummus and pitas. It will probably be the highlight of your workday. Unless you happen to get a 50% raise and an extra week of vacation…
Speaking of vacations – I promise to get some posts of our trip to Italy up soon! It’s been a bit of a crazy end to the summer, but they’re coming…
I’d love to hear in the comments below how you spent your summer – Fun trips, crazy stories, lots of wine…?
Tabbouleh wine pairings
- A Sauvignon Blanc will play nicely with fresh herbs and citrus notes in this tabbouleh salad. Another option would be a dry Riesling.
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Did you try this pearl couscous tabbouleh?
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Full Recipe
Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pearl couscous
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (divided)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 seedless cucumber (cut into 1/4-inch pieces)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- 1 cup scallions (minced, white and green parts)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh parsley (minced)
- 1 cup fresh mint (minced, plus mint sprigs for garnish)
Instructions
- In a saucepan combine the broth, water, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 ½ teaspoons salt, bring the mixture to a boil, and stir in the couscous. Cover the pan, and let the couscous simmer for 10 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and let it cool in the pan.
- In a large bowl stir together the cucumber, tomatoes, scallion, olive oil, remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. Add the couscous, parsley, and mint, stir the salad well, and chill it, covered, for 1 hour.
- The salad may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Serve the salad garnished with mint sprigs.
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