Mediterranean Cold Cous Cous Salad
No recipe required here, all you need is some Israeli Cous Cous and whatever vegetables you might like to add, make as much or as little as you want and adjust to your own personal preference, I am sure you know that there are two kinds of cous cous readily available there is a finer grain semolina and the Israeli which is much larger and when cooked al dente is nicely toothsome, it is my favorite and I use it all the time. It actually reminds me of Pastene which is almost identical in size and texture. I did not add onion or garlic although I think it would be good. For a milder onion flavor I used some chives. NOTE: Don’t skip the toasted pine nuts, they add so much to this salad.
I throw this salad together almost weekly, the ingredients vary depending on what I have that needs to be used. As shown, here is the list of ingredients:
Israeli Cous Cous
Fresh tomatoes
cucumber
Olives
Feta Cheese
Fresh herbs, basil, parsley and chives
dried mint
toasted pine nuts
lemon juice
olive oil
salt and pepper
Make the cous cous first, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil, add the cous cous and cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove from stove and pour into a strainer, run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, it’s ok if they are slightly hard. They will soften in the dressing and I recommend letting this sit for a few hours or even over night. I chop the tomatoes, add the herbs and olives and toss in the cous cous, toast the pine nuts and crumble the feta into the salad, squeeze some lemon and drizzle on the olive oil, do this according to however you like it. Season with salt and pepper. There is no right or wrong way to make this salad, really!!! Have fun with it.
Suzanne, this is great. It’s still hot weather, so a cool dish is most welcome.
I wasn’t familiar with this type of cous cous, so once again, you’ve taught me something! Mega hugs. 😀
Thanks Teagan, it’s still really hot and muggy here in NYC this dish is great, literally a few minutes to cook the cous cous and toast the pine nuts and you are done.
I have yet to try Israeli Cous Cous, Suzanne – when you describe it as “toothsome” it makes me wanna run out and get some! And, I am loving your combo of it with veggies and pine nuts – simple and full of flavor and texture!
I love Israeli cous cous, much more so than the finer grained variety. Highly recommend and thank you.
Lovely mixture of Mediterranean flavors! 🙂
Coming from Israel, Israeli couscous was something I grew up on, and I use it often in many dishes.
There is also another method to cooking it, by frying it gently first with onions and then cooking it like rice.
I don’t know what your policy about adding links, so I will not attach one here, but if interested, you can use the Search button in my blog for the recipe.
I would love to try that Ronit, will find your recipe. I could eat this type of cous cous every day and would love some different recipes and cooking first with onion sounds amazing. Thank you.
My pleasure Suzanne. I too can eat it gladly every day.
It is one of the few original culinary Israeli inventions (the pasta is toasted, which gives it the unique texture) so it’s a sort of a national treasure. 🙂
If you can find Osem brand, you’ll get the best results.
I will look for that brand. Thank you!
My fave
Sent from my iPhone
>
I’ll bring some this weekend.
Hi Suzanne, I am familiar with couscous both varieties. I make an apricot couscous we all love. I love this combo! Wonderbaar my friend glad to see you posting again. Big Hugs, Cheryl.
That sounds amazing Cheryl, I love apricots. Thank you so much.
Hi Suzanne-have a good night!
Thank you and you too!
How did you know I may have dismissed the pine nuts? lol. I haven’t had cous cous in such a long time. I’m not even sure if I still like it, but you know what I will go ahead and try it out again. I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
Ha, psychic maybe. LOL, don’t omit them, they are wonderful in this dish. Thanks Kia.
Never seen such couscous, does it have the same taste as regular one? Looks tasty!
It’s different I like it better than the finer grained variety. Different flavor and texture it’s wonderful. Thank you.
Suzanne, I love salad without any recipe as well. This cold couscous is one of my favourite! Thanks! 🙂
Thank you Mochi, it is a wonderful cold dish.
This is so up my alley. I think this salad would pair perfectly with the two Assyrtiko Greek wines I shared in my blog today. Thanks.
Oh wonderful, heading over to your blog now to check out that wine.
What a fun recipe to throw together. If you can believe it, I’ve never actually made couscous so I didn’t even know there were two different kinds. I’m bookmarking this for a fun lunch idea one week. Thanks for sharing Suzanne 🙂
It’s really fun Heather and delicious, thank you so much.
Great looking salad, especially for this time of year. That Israeli couscous is enormous – the couscous I’m used to is tiny by comparison…
You must try this cous cous it’s wonderful, thank you so much.
I need ti get my hands on this giant cous cous. So pretty!
It’s so worth seeking out, it is so good. Thanks so much.
Love the big pearly cous cous Suzanne– it all looks delicious together– and I totally agree about the pine nuts. My daughter Laurel when she was first out on her own would make the “student version” of this salad– Cook cous cous and dump in a bag of frozen mixed vegetable (you know, corn, peas, carrots!) I like your ingredients a whole lot better!!
Cous cous is such a great thing, quick and easy and good hot or cold. Thanks Rhonda and the combination your daughter makes sounds delicious.
Ha ha Suzanne –I’d call more serviceable than delicious!
In college I existed on Ramen noodles in a packet.
P.S. Glad to see you back in the kitchen and sending it off to us!!
:o)
I usually have both types of couscous on hand and depending on my whim, go with one or the other – love them both equally! The Israeli couscous, I cook as Ronit has suggested up above, toasted in the pan with onion and then boiled with either (chicken) stock or water until the liquid has all been absorbed. I’ll be trying this salad for sure in the warmer months Suzanne!
I must try how Ronit suggested both are wonderful and good hot or cold. Thanks Margot.
I’ve not tried couscous before, but I definitely feel like trying them after looking at yours!
Thanks Jasline, you have to try it and would love to see how you prepare it.
Great comfort food for the hot summer!
It really is thank you so much.
Really nice straightforward and tasty-looking dish that’s inspiring me to make couscous! .. Thanks for sharing and for the tip about toasted pine nuts too Suzanne! 🙂
The toasted pine nuts although a small part of the dish really make it special. Thanks Lili!
Lovely! And I would never ignore pine nuts!
Thanks Mim, another fan of pine nuts!!
Suzanne, I love Israeli couscous and agree that pine nuts are a must in this salad! I am drooling looking at your salad!
It is so good, thanks so much Sanhya!
Suzanne
A non recipe post is so good since you can play with it. Your couscous salad resembeks my pasta salad at home….and feta makes everything delicious… Will
Try this with couscous soon!❤️
This is very much like your pasta salad, it really is a pasta salad technically and I love the flavors and textures. I love the pepper in your salad and it’s so colorful and delicious. Thanks Sonal.
😘❤️
I love Israeli couscous, Suzanne, and yours looks wonderful! It must taste so fresh with all of the herbs in it. What a good idea to use leftover vegetables this way. I’m going to have to start doing that. Adding the pine nuts, olives, and feta just takes it over the top for me. I really want to make this soon!
Still haven’t seen this type of cous cous. And as I like the smaller variety I bet I’d really like it as well. It’s cold and wet over here right now. So I’ve just had a warm salad with fried cauliflower. Surprisingly good. Cous cous would’ve been better than the leftover rice. Maybe I’ll try that tomorrow.
Cold really, actually that sounds pretty good to me, it’s very hot and humid here and your warm salad sounds great. I am Abigail fan of cauliflower. You have to give Israeli cous cous a try it’s fantastic .
Love Israeli couscous Suzanne, I only discovered it this year and can’t seem to get enough of it. I love the feel of it on your tongue. I think I did blog about it too, the addition of fresh herbs and feta and pine nuts sounds really appetizing. Great for the warm weather too.
Just the right salad for the last days of summer. I love couscous and need to make it more often. Thank you for the recipe.
Sounds like a great weekend snack to enjoy between lunch and dinner!
It really is a nice simple salad! Thanks you
I have never cooked cous-cous. I learned a lot here. To get the larger variety and get the Osem band. You’ve got it, in making it Mediterranean ensemble with pine nuts! 🙂
Yes I will seek out the Osem brand, they did not have it at the supermarket I went to but will find it and try it next. A big yes to the pine nuts, toasted of course.
Med food is the BOMMMMBBBB! 😀
Totally, thank you!!
I’ve been looking for a simple, tasty couscous recipe for ages! This looks delish 🙂
Thank you so much. I hope you give it a try, it really is good.
A lovely simple meal! i would eat it with grilled fish or BBQ chicken! 🙂 Yummm!
It’s wonderful with grilled meat or fish. Thanks Sophie.
😉 x
Hi Suzanne, lovely salad, I just purchased couscous but did not have any for sure plans for it, thanks to this recipe I do now. Nice to see you!!
I just ran out, find myself making this frequently. Thanks Cheri.
Never tried Israeli cous cous and this looks so refreshing ….lovely combo. .. can’t wait to give it a try…
Hi Chitra have missed seeing you post. You were away right? Thank you so much the salad is really nice, perfect for a moral when the weather is hot.