Mediterranean Pearl Couscous (Printable version)

Light and refreshing Mediterranean pearl couscous with crisp vegetables, olives, and feta in oregano vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grain

01 - 1 cup pearl couscous
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

→ Additions

07 - 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
08 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How To Make:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in pearl couscous and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.
02 - Remove saucepan from heat and spread couscous on a baking sheet. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
03 - While couscous cools, combine diced red bell pepper, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, and feta cheese in a large mixing bowl.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Add cooled couscous to the mixing bowl with vegetables. Pour dressing over ingredients and toss gently to combine.
06 - Fold in chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, leaving you time to actually enjoy your lunch instead of spending the afternoon in the kitchen.
  • The textures keep surprising you with every bite—creamy feta, briny olives, and that satisfying chew of pearl couscous.
  • It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have gotten to know each other.
02 -
  • If you skip the cooling step for the couscous, the dressing will evaporate instead of being absorbed, leaving everything dry and sad.
  • The vegetables will release water as they sit, so taste and adjust seasoning before serving—what seemed perfectly salted at 2 p.m. might need a pinch more at dinner time.
03 -
  • Buy good feta and taste it before adding salt to the dressing—brined feta is already salty, and a heavy hand here will ruin everything.
  • Pearl couscous has a different texture than regular couscous, but if that's all you have, use it anyway; just reduce the cooking time by a few minutes and watch it closely so it doesn't turn to paste.
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