Couscous Salad with Minted Cucumber, Tomato and Bell Pepper Recipe

A classic Middle Eastern salad, tabbouleh has become a Western favorite — and a flavorful way to fit grains and vegetables into lunch and dinner menus. It is traditionally made with soaked, uncooked bulgur and fresh vegetables and herbs. This salad draws inspiration from tabbouleh, using whole-grain couscous, vegetables, fresh herbs and other Mediterranean flavors.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked whole-wheat pearl couscous, chilled*
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 medium unwaxed cucumber, seeded, cut into ¼-inch pieces
⅔ cup chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley
⅔ cup chopped fresh mint
½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 medium green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice**
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel**
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

1. Put couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, bell pepper, feta cheese and green onions in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, lemon peel and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over couscous mixture; toss gently to coat.

Cooking Notes

• *To cook pearl couscous, simmer 1 cup whole-wheat pearl couscous in 1¼ cups water, covered, for 10 minutes. Pearl couscous, also called Israeli couscous or ptitim, has a chewy, nutty flavor, somewhat similar to barley. Compared with traditional couscous, the granules are somewhat larger, firmer in texture and less likely to clump together. If pearl couscous is not available, use traditional couscous.
• **Variation: Substitute orange juice and orange peel for lemon juice and lemon peel.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ¾ cup
Serves 8

Calories: 170; Calories from fat: 70; Total fat: 8g; Saturated fat: 2g; Trans fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Sodium: 170mg; Total carbohydrate: 23g; Dietary fiber: 4g; Sugars: 2g; Protein: 6g