Fruit, herb and feta Israeli couscous salad

This fruit, herb and feta Israeli couscous salad is light and refreshing with fresh fruit and cooling herbs, but filling enough to be a great lunch or side.

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I’ve mentioned before that warm days make me want salad for lunch as I don’t want anything too heavy. That said, I equally don’t want to feel hungry after I’ve eaten.

This fruit, herb and feta Israeli couscous salad is great for warm days as it has lots of juicy fresh fruit in there along with cooling herbs to be light and refreshing, but filling enough to keep you going.

What is Israeli couscous?

Israeli couscous, also called pearled or giant couscous, is basically a larger version of regular couscous. It’s a small, round pasta, and it’s pretty versatile.

I used it before in my Israeli couscous with grilled vegetables as either a main or along with simple grilled shrimp or meat, but it’s also great in various salads. Plus, you can toast it before cooking which adds a nice flavor to it.

How to make this summery couscous salad

This salad could hardly be easier to make as all you need to cook is the couscous and you can get everything else ready while it’s cooking. Most of that is just a bit of chopping up as well.

If you think the fruit, herbs and feta is a weird combination, believe me, it really works. The sweet and salty mix, along with the fresh mint in particular, work perfectly to balance each other out.

Make ahead options

If you prefer, you can cook the couscous a day or two ahead, store it in the fridge, then just make everything up when you need it. To save the couscous sticking to itself too much, stir through a little olive oil after you drain it.

You can also make the whole salad a few hours ahead to take with you for lunch or a potluck as it’s pretty robust – just refrigerate until needed. The only thing is remember it is still full of fresh fruit and herbs so don’t expect it to last a few days without the fruit becoming a bit mushy.

This is a salad I have on my list for summer lunchboxes, along with my calamari salad, French lentil salad with feta and fennel and a few more.

This fruit, herb and feta Israeli couscous salad is light, refreshing and colorful. Plus, it’s packed with healthy goodness and quick to make. I know some people have a thing about fruit in salads, but to me, you can hardly get a better combination for a summer lunch/side.

Try these other summer salads:

• Grilled nectarine salad
• Mexican street corn salad
• Caprese quinoa salad with beets and avocado
• Tropical fruit salad
• Plus get more summer recipes in the archives.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Fruit, herb and feta Israeli couscous salad

Fresh fruit, herbs and a citrusy dressing make this Israeli couscous salad bright and fresh.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: salad with couscous and fruit, summer salad

Servings: 2 +

Calories: 764kcal

Author: Caroline's Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 1 1/4 cup water 300ml
• 1 cup watermelon 170g, diced
• 1 nectarine or peach
• 3 oz feta 80g
• 1/2 cup blueberries 80g
• 1/4 cup mint 4tbsp, chopped (fresh)
• 1/4 cup parsley 4tbsp, chopped (fresh)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Warm 2tbsp olive oil in a pan then toast the couscous until lightly brown - about 3-5min. Add the water, cover and bring to a bil then reduce the heat so it simmers. Cook until the water is absorbed -about 10min. Allow the couscous to cool - you can help it along by rinsing in cold water.
• While the couscous is cooking and cooling, dice the watermelon and nectarine/peach into bite-sized pieces. Chop or break up the feta into small chunks and chop the mint and parsley - a rough chop is fine.
• Dress the cooled couscous with the lemon juice, oil and a few grinds of salt and pepper. Toss so it is well-coated. Add the rest of the ingredients, toss, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 764kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1720IU | Vitamin C: 28.2mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 2.4mg

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