Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Smoked Salmon
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Mediterranean Couscous Salad is a light and healthy summer salad, dressed in olive oil, filled with summer vegetables, and topped with incredibly delicious smoked salmon.
It’s easy and simple and refreshing… and perfect for the warm days of summer.
What to Love About This Salad
- Quick and easy summer salad ready in under 20 minutes
- Healthy Mediterranean flavors and ingredients
- Smoked salmon
While testing this recipe, I repeatedly asked the family what they liked best. Almost all of them immediately replied, “smoked salmon.” It’s what sets this healthy couscous salad apart!
For me, it’s all about the refreshing, crunchy vegetables and Mediterranean flavors.
Couscous Salad
This delicious salad is a mildly flavored Mediterranean-inspired salad with fresh vegetables and a simple tangy vinaigrette.
The smoked salmon adds a delicious layer of robust flavor, adding richness to the salad. It’s a dinner-worthy meal, perfect for the warm days of summer.
Mediterranean Couscous Salad Ingredients
These simple ingredients when combined make a delicious summer salad. The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s what you need:
- Uncooked couscous
- Olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Green pepper
- Garlic cloves
- Cherry tomatoes
- English cucumber
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh dill
- Green onions
- Smoked salmon
- Feta
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
One of this salad’s best attributes is how easy it is to adapt. Here are some ideas:
Green pepper: I used a poblano pepper, but any type of pepper you like works too. Or, you can substitute a cup of pepperoncini, stemmed and sliced into rings. The brine adds a delicious flavor to this simple couscous salad.
Apple Cider Vinegar: I love the flavor of apple cider vinegar, but you may want to add red or white wine vinegar or even champaign vinegar. Or substitute pepperoncini brine for the vinegar if using that as a substitution for the peppers.
Smoked Salmon: This is an incredibly healthy, flavor-packed addition to the salad. You can always eliminate it or substitute it for smoked trout.
How to Make Couscous Salad with Smoked Salmon
This salad has three simple steps; cooking the couscous, whisking the dressing, and combining the ingredients.
Step 1: Cook the couscous
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the couscous and salt. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
Step 2: Whisk the dressing
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and fresh dill together in a large bowl. Add the cooked couscous and toss to coat. Let cool slightly while preparing the vegetables.
Step 3: Combine the couscous salad ingredients
Into the bowl, add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, scallions, and chopped peppers. Season with salt and pepper to taste; gently toss to combine. Add additional olive oil to taste.
How to Serve Couscous Salad
To serve, divide the salad into portions and top each with flaked smoked salmon and feta. A squeeze of lemon or a lemon wedge served on the side is delicious.
How Long Can You Store Couscous Salad
This salad can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 4 days. Drizzle additional olive oil over the salad before serving.
Storing Smoked Salmon
Smoked salmon can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks unopened. If opened, I like to use it within 4 to 5 days. It can also be frozen in its packaging for up to 3 months.
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Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Smoked Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups dry couscous
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1 green pepper chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 medium English cucumber chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 3 green onions chopped
- 6 ounces smoked salmon flaked
- 1/3 cup feta
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the couscous and salt. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
- Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and fresh dill together in a large bowl. Add the cooked couscous and toss to coat. Let cool slightly while preparing vegetables.
- Into the bowl, add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, scallions, and chopped peppers. Season with salt and pepper to taste; gently toss to combine. Add additional olive oil to taste.
- To serve, divide the salad into portions and top each with flaked smoked salmon and feta. A squeeze of lemon or a lemon wedge served on the side is delicious.
Video
Notes
Storing the Mediterranean Couscous Salad
This salad can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 4 days. Drizzle additional olive oil over the salad before serving.Storing Smoked Salmon
Smoked salmon can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks unopened. If opened, I like to use it within 4 to 5 days. It can also be frozen in its packaging for up to 3 months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.