Spring Couscous Salad with Feta, Avocado & Fresh Herbs

A zesty and fresh, chilled couscous salad with avocado, snap peas, feta, and fresh herbs. Serve it as a side dish to grilled meat or fish or all on its own as a healthy and hearty lunch!

a white bowl filled with spring couscous salad, diced avocado, cucumber and fresh herbs.

One thing I love about this salad, in particular, is that it’s infinitely adaptable! Any fresh herbs will work; for instance, dill, basil, cilantro, or mint. In lieu of snap peas, you could use quickly blanched asparagus or green beans as a substitute. Don’t care for feta? Use crumbled goat cheese instead! Please feel inspired to adapt and adjust this recipe to your liking.

Serve this tasty spring salad alongside Grilled Lamb Chops with Herb Salad or Blackened Shrimp with Garlic-Lime Aioli.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Spring Couscous Salad: Pearl or Israeli Couscous, snap peas, avocado, watercress, cucumber, green onion, parsley, feta cheese, lemon, and olive oil.

couscous salad ingredients portioned into individual bowls on a blue background

Recipe Steps:

Step 1. Cook the Couscous

Cook the couscous just as you would pasta, in a pot of salted boiling water. Drain and cool.

a large glass mixing bowl of couscous salad ingredients, avocado, feta cheese, and watercress.

Step 2. Assemble the Salad

Toss the couscous with the rest of the salad ingredients, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Serve immediately!

a white bowl of couscous salad with a silver spoon, white tea towel on a blue background

FAQs and Expert Tips:

Is couscous a grain or pasta?

Despite a popular misconception that couscous is a type of grain, it is actually a type of pasta made of semolina and flour that is moistened and tossed together until it forms little balls.

How do you cook Israeli couscous?

For this type of salad Israeli couscous can be cooked like pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, drop in the dried couscous, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking.

What is the difference between Israeli/Pearl couscous and regular couscous?

Moroccan couscous is made up of teeny-tiny grains of semolina and flour. This type of couscous cooks very quickly in about 3-5 minutes.
Israeli or “pearl” couscous is also made of semolina and flour, but the granules are much larger, about the size of peppercorns. Israeli couscous has a hearty, chewy, texture that makes it perfect for tossing with veggies, herbs, and zesty vinaigrettes!

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a white bowl filled with spring couscous salad, diced avocado, cucumber and fresh herbs.

Spring Couscous Salad with Feta, Avocado & Herbs

A zesty and fresh, chilled Israeli couscous salad with avocado, snap peas, and fresh herbs.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 375kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 c Israeli (pearl) couscous
  • 1 ripe avocado diced
  • 1 heaping cup sugar snap peas stems and strings removed, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium cucumber diced
  • 4 oz feta cheese crumbled
  • 1 small bunch watercress thin stems and leaves only
  • 4 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the dried couscous. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool down the couscous. Drizzle with a little olive oil to keep from sticking.
  • Place all of the chopped veggies, herbs, feta and couscous in a large mixing bowl. Next, drizzle in the olive, and lemon juice. Gently toss everything together until evenly combined. Season with salt and freshly cracked lack pepper, divide between bowls and serve.

Notes

 
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions 
  • Couscous: orzo
  • Feta Cheese: goat cheese 
  • Snap Peas: snow peas or blanched green beans
  • Parsely: any fresh green herb; cilantro, dill, basil, or mint

FAQS:
  • What is Israeli or “pearl” couscous?  Israeli couscous aka pearl couscous is made of semolina and flour, but the granules are much larger, about the size of peppercorns. Israeli couscous has a hearty, chewy, texture that makes it perfect for tossing with veggies, herbs, and zesty vinaigrettes!
Storage:
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1093IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 2mg
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5 from 6 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is so good, I could eat this everyday but it did raise my blood sugar. I have to be very careful of how much I eat.

  2. 5 stars
    This is a perfect side for any spring meal, a base for a grain bowl or side grain/salad. One of those recipes that can be easily adjusted based on what herbs or greens are in your fridge at any moment (although sticking with the recipe is probably the most delicious route). Super easy and quick to whip up just before a meal.