Lemony Couscous Salad with Feta and Chickpeas Recipe

Name: Lemony Couscous Salad with Feta & Chickpeas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cups dried pearl couscous; 2 cups water; 1 14- ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 3 cups baby arugula; 1/2 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped); 4 ounces cherry tomatoes (sliced); 1 bell pepper (chopped, any color (I used red)); 1 cup corn; 2 green onions (chopped, about 1/4 cup); 1/2 cup feta cheese; 1/4 cup white wine vinegar; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup fresh basil (minced); 3 cloves garlic pressed; 1/2 lemon juiced; 1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Jump to Recipe

This lemony couscous salad with feta and chickpeas is a light, refreshing, and delicious salad with Israeli (or pearl) couscous, fresh vegetables, and 5-minute lemon vinaigrette dressing! A fantastic side dish or appetizer to bring to parties, potlucks, or a BBQ.

This flavorful and elegant salad has wonderful colors and textures – from the soft pearl couscous, to the peppery arugula, to the sweet juicy tomatoes. There is wonderful freshness and crunch in each bite!

Want more flavorful salads? Try our mango shrimp avocado salad, copycat Thai crunch salad, and our favorite Mediterranean pasta salad!

a bowl of couscous salad with arugula and corn and cherry tomatoes in a bowl with feta cheese.

Table of Contents

Summer is almost here and we are making all our favorite light and refreshing salads! This delicious lemony couscous salad is loaded with fresh vegetables, tender cooked couscous, juicy tomatoes, and salty feta cheese.

This is a fantastic salad to meal prep or make ahead of time, so it’s great for making for a BBQ, potluck or gathering. It’s great for sharing, or to just enjoy for a light and refreshing light lunch or side dinner.

Why This Recipe Works

It’s light, refreshing, citrusy, and delicious.
This easy-to-make salad is ready in about 30 minutes.
Great to meal prep or make ahead.
An easy and impressive side salad for entertaining.
Anyone can successfully make this dish by following our step-by-step photos and instructions below.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

I used pearl couscous or Israeli couscous for this salad. You could use regular couscous if you like, but I found the texture of larger couscous better. Start by boiling the couscous in a little water, then fluffing with a fork and cooling before adding to the salad.

I like adding chickpeas for added protein and fiber. They give the salad a great texture as well.

Load in the vegetables to this salad: cherry tomatoes, arugula, corn, bell pepper, and fresh parsley, and green onions all add wonderful flavor and crunch to this salad.

And the best part of the salad is the feta cheese, which gives a wonderful briny sharp flavor to the salad. You could also omit this for a vegan version.

The 5-minute lemon vinaigrette dressing is vibrant and delicious. Made with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, basil leaves, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Additions and Substitutions

You can add many more wonderful vegetables if you prefer: chopped cucumber, roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini or squash.

If you don’t want to use arugula, you can substitute with baby spinach or mixed greens.

The homemade dressing makes the salad, but if you are short on time and want to use a bottled dressing instead, you can use an Italian dressing with basil.

How To Make This Salad

cooked couscous in a pot to make a salad with pearl couscous

Step 1: In a pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the pearl couscous, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the couscous is tender and the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside in a large bowl to cool.

a large salad bowl with couscous, corn, arugula, tomatoes, green onions, and chickpeas.

Step 2: Once the couscous has cooled, add the arugula, cherry tomatoes, parsley, bell pepper, chickpeas, corn and green onions to the bowl.

a small mixing bowl of pesto basil lemon dressing for a couscous salad.

Step 3: In a small mixing bowl, add the dressing ingredients together and whisk well to combine.

lemon basil dressing for couscous salad vinaigrette

Step 4: Drizzle the dressing over the top and gently toss until everything is well combined and coated.

toss couscous salad with a spoon and lemon vinaigrette dressing with vegetables.

Step 5: With a large spoon, mix the salad well to combine.

a large bowl of pearl couscous salad with lemon vinaigrette dressing with feta cheese and veggies.

Step 6: Top with crumbled feta cheese. Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes before serving for an even more refreshing dish.

Recipe FAQs

How to make this salad ahead of time

This couscous salad holds up in the fridge for up to 2 days before serving. If you’re making it ahead, add the arugula and feta right before serving to keep them fresh and vibrant. And make sure to give the salad a good toss before serving.

Are there substitutes for couscous?

Yes, you can substitute the couscous with orzo, quinoa, or a small pasta shape like ditalini, macaroni, or mini stars. Just follow the cooking instructions on the package for those swaps and add them in the salad after cooling.

Can this salad be made vegan?

This salad is vegetarian, but it can be vegan by omitting the feta or use a dairy-free feta alternative to make this salad 100% plant-based.

Expert Tips

When chopping the tomatoes and vegetables, make them roughly the same size. You want the pieces small enough to be bite-sized and consistent throughout the salad.

Fresh garlic in the dressing makes all the difference – use fresh whole cloves of garlic if you can (instead of jarred minced garlic).

Season to taste. Everyone’s preferences for salt and pepper vary. Before fully digging in, taste the salad and add a bit more salt and pepper (or fresh herbs) if needed.

More Modern Salad Ideas

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

Lemony Couscous Salad with Feta & Chickpeas

By:

Kelly Jensen

This lemony couscous salad with feta and chickpeas is a light, refreshing, and delicious salad with Israeli (or pearl) couscous, fresh vegetables, and 5-minute lemon vinaigrette dressing! A fantastic side dish or appetizer to bring to parties, potlucks, or a BBQ.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 383 kcal

Equipment

Pot
Serving Bowl

Ingredients

For the Salad

1 cups dried pearl couscous
2 cups water
1 14- ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
3 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
4 ounces cherry tomatoes sliced
1 bell pepper chopped, any color (I used red)
1 cup corn
2 green onions chopped, about 1/4 cup
1/2 cup feta cheese

For the Pesto Dressing

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh basil minced
3 cloves garlic pressed
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

In a pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the pearl couscous, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the couscous is tender and the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside in a large bowl to cool.
Once the couscous has cooled, add the arugula, bell pepper, parsley, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, corn and green onions to the bowl.
In a small mixing bowl, add the dressing ingredients together and whisk well to combine. Drizzle the dressing over the top and gently toss until everything is well combined and coated.
With a large spoon, mix the salad well to combine. Top with crumbled feta cheese. Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes before serving for an even more refreshing dish.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions