Cucumber Lemon Couscous Salad (Printer-friendly)

Fluffy couscous tossed with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, herbs and zesty lemon dressing—light and refreshing.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup couscous
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

→ Dressing

09 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
10 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - Salt to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Place the couscous and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the couscous, cover tightly, and let steam for 5 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed.
02 - Fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Allow to cool for 5 minutes until it reaches room temperature.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, black pepper, and a pinch of salt until the dressing is well blended and slightly emulsified.
04 - Add the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, parsley, and mint to the cooled couscous. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.
05 - Pour the lemon dressing over the couscous and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated with the dressing.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature for the best flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes flat, which means you can make it while your guests are pouring drinks and nobody waits.
  • The lemon honey dressing clings to every grain of couscous and makes each forkful sing without being heavy.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad and then refrigerate it overnight the couscous will absorb the dressing and dry out, so keep them separate if you are prepping ahead.
  • Salting the cucumbers for ten minutes and patting them dry prevents the finished salad from pooling water at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
  • Roll the lemon firmly on the counter before cutting and you will extract nearly twice as much juice without any effort.
  • Use a fork rather than a spoon to fluff couscous because the tines break up clumps without compressing the grains back down.

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