In a simple Greek dressing, this couscous salad is topped with diced tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and creamy feta: a quick and wholesome side dish, or even a dinner on its own.
You’ll want to eat the Greek couscous salad often since it’s a flavorful side dish or light main dish.
If you love couscous, then try our “Cauliflower Couscous“, “5 best vegan couscous recipes” and “Parmesan Couscous“.
Page Contents
What is Couscous
A miniature kind of pasta known as couscous is prepared by mixing water and durum wheat semolina flour. Couscous is a common ingredient in various cuisines, including Middle Eastern, French, and Italian.
It is a staple meal in North Africa, where it developed.
Types of Couscous
Moroccan Couscous
It is the smallest, most quickly prepared, and has a delicate texture.
Israeli Couscous
Israeli couscous sometimes referred to as Pearl couscous, is shaped into bigger, rounded balls that resemble spaghetti.
Lebanese Couscous
The biggest couscous, resembling a pea in size, is the Moghrabieh couscous from Lebanon.
What is a Greek Salad?
Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, feta cheese, and olives are the main elements of a Greek salad, which is typically seasoned with oregano and drizzled with olive oil.
I made the decision to add some pearl couscous to the Greek salad to turn it into more of a meal.
Greek Couscous Salad Recipe
A delectable variation on couscous salad, Greek couscous salad is topped with a handmade Greek salad dressing and is stuffed with feta cheese and olives. Delicious, delicious, and healthy!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked couscous gluten-free if needed
- 1/2 cup tomatoes diced
- 1/2 cup cucumbers chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese vegan, if needed
- 1/4 cup black olives sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps Red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp salt
Directions to Make
- Combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and dried oregano in a bowl to make the salad dressing. To taste, add salt and pepper
- Fluffed couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, chopped olives, and red onion should all be blended well in a large mixing dish
- Once the dressing has been added, simply combine the salad with the dressing
- Serve right away or put in the fridge
Greek Couscous Salad Nutritional Facts
| Nutrients Name | Amount Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 177KCal |
| Carbohydrates | 17 gm |
| Protein | 4 gm |
| Fat | 10 gm |
| Sodium | 532 mg |
| Potassium | 115 mg |
| Fiber | 2 gm |
| Vitamin A | 228 IU |
| Vitamin C | 5 mg |
| Calcium | 59 mg |
| Iron | 1 mg |
| Net Carbs | 15 gm |
How Would You Keep Couscous Salad
Salads with couscous should always be kept in the fridge. Not only does it maintain more flavor (similar to a stew or curry), but there is also no risk of the feta cheese going bad. A salad kept in the fridge can last up to a week.
Variations in Couscous Salad Flavor
Protein
Add some plant-based protein, such as tofu that has been grilled or a vegan burger. You may add some grilled chicken or fish if you don’t eat a plant-based diet.
Cheese
Don’t like feta? Not to worry! Add some cheese or some sharp cheddar cheese.
Vegetables
Add some chopped bell peppers, radishes, or even parsley to the veggies to give them more flavor.
Legumes
Add some chickpeas (garbanzo beans), black beans, or kidney beans for another plant-based protein alternative.
Nuts
I personally enjoy salads that have nuts in them, so add some pine nuts or sliced almonds for some extra crunch.
Health Benefits of Couscous Salad
Potential Aid for Weight Loss
Because they are full, relatively simple to prepare, and low in calories, grains are often chosen by people on diets as low-calorie sources of healthy food.
Couscous is believed to be better than grains like rice or quinoa since it has fewer than 200 calories per cup or less than 10% of the daily calorie intake advised for adults.
Additionally, couscous has extremely little salt, cholesterol, and fat, all of which work against weight loss attempts.
May Aid in Managing Body Metabolism
Couscous’ high protein content makes it the perfect food for holding the body’s overall metabolism. One of the most vital parts of the human body, protein is present in our hair, skin, nails, teeth, organs, muscles, and bones as well as in natural chemicals and enzymes.
A lack of protein can cause many of our body’s organ systems to malfunction, which can have a number of potentially fatal health consequences.
For people who don’t want to experience full organ shutdown due to protein lacks, couscous can allay many worries.
Given that they are forced to forgo several important sources of protein, meat, and dairy items, vegetarians and vegans particularly like it.
Could Increase Muscle Mass
As a necessary component of protein metabolism and muscle growth, selenium is one of the crucial components of building muscle mass.
According to studies, selenium deficiency is a key partner of muscle breakdown, excessive tiredness, and overall body weakness.
Therefore, couscous might be one of the finest options for promoting your muscle growth because selenium is such a tough nutrient to obtain naturally.
Potentially Cancer-Fighting
As was already noted, selenium is a highly healthy component of couscous and has a crucial function in the metabolic pathways that may promote growth or protect against some malignancies.
A lack of selenium in the body has been linked in recent research to a growing risk of prostate cancer development. The body will develop anti-metastatic properties and a general cancer deterrence strategy when selenium levels are appropriate.
The majority of the focus to date has been on prostate cancer, although research into the connections between couscous and selenium and other cancers is still underway.
When coupled with vitamin E and other antioxidants, selenium is linked to reducing the incidence of lung cancer and carcinogenesis in smokers.
It Promotes the Maintenance of Normal Blood Sugar Levels
Couscous protein and fiber content aid in maintaining normal blood sugar levels. After meals, the body’s blood sugar levels rise and drop.
This change in blood sugar levels might make you feel lethargic and make you hungry soon after you finish a meal.
You may get diabetes if you have high blood sugar levels.
Couscous protein and fiber content can help reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes. Couscous fiber also aids in the improved absorption of carbohydrates.
On the other hand, the digestive process takes longer to break down proteins. You can maintain stable blood sugar levels by doing this.
It Contains a Lot of Plant Protein
Here’s some promising news for vegans and vegetarians. One excellent source of plant-based protein is couscous.
However, in order to obtain enough amino acids, which are crucial for the body, vegetarians and vegans should make sure they eat couscous along with other healthy forms of protein.
Foods high in plant-based protein can lower your chances of developing cancer, having a stroke, and dying from heart disease.
FAQs
Despite having approximately the same number of calories per 100 grams as white rice, couscous is a better choice in those areas because it has greater levels of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
When incorporated into a balanced, nutritious diet, both grains can aid in weight reduction.
Couscous made from whole grains is a rich source of fiber. Fiber has several health benefits. It can keep you fuller for longer and prevent blood sugar spikes.
Additionally, it could lower cholesterol, which lowers your risk of developing heart disease.
Conclusion
In this couscous salad, diced tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and creamy feta are combined with a straightforward Greek vinaigrette. A quick and wholesome side dish or supper all by itself.
It is bursting with amazing tastes and textures, including fluffy couscous, juicy tomatoes, creamy feta, and salty olives. This greek couscous salad is quick and easy to cook, healthful, and full of nutrients. It promotes itself with handmade Greek salad dressing.
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