Mediterranean Couscous Hot Honey Salad (Printable)
Fluffy couscous with Mediterranean veggies and a sweet-spicy hot honey lemon vinaigrette.
# What You'll Need:
→ Couscous & Vegetables
01 - 1 cup uncooked couscous
02 - 1¼ cups boiling water
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - ½ cup cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
08 - ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped (optional)
→ Hot Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon honey
14 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
# Steps:
01 - Place couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the couscous, cover tightly, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified and smooth.
03 - Add the halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, sliced Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and mint to the bowl with the couscous. Toss gently to combine.
04 - Pour the hot honey lemon vinaigrette over the couscous mixture and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or chill for 10 minutes for a refreshing cold salad. Garnish with extra fresh herbs or additional crumbled feta if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The vinaigrette walks this perfect line between sweet honey warmth and a sneaky chili kick that makes people ask what your secret is.
- It scales effortlessly from a solo lunch to a potluck crowd pleaser without changing a thing.
02 -
- If you dress the salad while the couscous is still hot, the feta will melt into a weird paste and the herbs will go limp, so patience pays off here.
- The vinaigrette will seize and look separated if your lemon juice is ice cold straight from the fridge, so let it come to room temperature first.
03 -
- Toast the dry couscous in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding water and it picks up a nutty depth most people never expect from such a simple step.
- Double the vinaigrette recipe and keep the extra in a jar in the fridge for a week of instant salads, grain bowls, or roasted vegetables.