Spring Couscous Salad
Bright, herb-filled, and vibrant, this Spring Couscous Salad is a quick and elegant dish that combines chewy pearl couscous, crisp peas, peppery arugula, and crunchy pistachios with bright lemon and za’atar oil.
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 1 cup pearl couscous Toasted pearl couscous recommended for best flavor.
- 1 cup English peas Fresh or frozen, blanched briefly.
- 1 cup arugula Roughly chopped.
- 1/2 cup red onion Thinly sliced.
- 4 tbsp lemon juice Freshly squeezed.
- 1 tsp lemon zest Freshly grated.
- 1 cup fresh herbs (parsley + mint) Firmly packed parsley and finely minced mint.
- 1/2 cup roasted pistachios Roughly chopped.
Dressing
- 4 tbsp olive oil Extra virgin recommended.
- 2–3 tsp za’atar Use 2 tsp for milder flavor.
- 3 cloves garlic Minced.
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt Plus more to taste.
For Serving
- to taste sumac For serving.
Instructions
Preparation
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the English peas and blanch for 1 1/2 minutes—drain and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the pearl couscous, 1 1/2 cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, partially cover, and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the sliced red onion with lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Let marinate.
Combining
- Combine the cooked couscous with marinated onions, arugula, peas, parsley, mint, and pistachios in a large bowl.
Making the Dressing
- In the pot used for couscous, heat olive oil and fry minced garlic until just brown. Stir in za’atar, cumin, and kosher salt. Drizzle over salad and toss.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with sumac and additional salt as needed.
Notes
Serve at room temperature for best flavor; make-ahead tip: store without za’atar oil and add just before serving to keep textures crisp.