Pearl couscous is the giant form of the more common tiny couscous. Also known as gourmet and Israeli couscous, it’s like little pearls of pasta – hence the name! Makes a fabulous salad and is a great one to take to gatherings for something different that never fails to impress.
Pearl Couscous Salad
The immature child within wants to call this a Giant Couscous Salad. But the proper name is Pearl Couscous Salad, so I went with sensible. But now I’m kind of regretting it!
Pearl couscous is the big brother of the more common tiny couscous that I use as a side dish for Moroccan and African dishes like tagine. Commonly mistaken as a grain, couscous is actually a type of pasta, and is ideal used in salads like in this recipe, or as a side like in this Syrian chicken.
While the tiny couscous can be prepared by soaking in hot water, pearl couscous needs to be simmered on the stove. In my view, the most delicious way to do this is to cook it like risotto, starting with sautéed garlic and onion then using broth instead of water. This infuses the couscous with so much flavor, you can even serve it plain as a side.
What you need for this pearl couscous salad
I’ve given this salad a Mediterranean spin with a bright lemon dressing, pops of tomato, juicy crunch of cucumber and a good hit of fresh herbs. The combination of dill and coriander/cilantro is a firm favourite. If you haven’t tried it before, you’re in for a treat!
For the salad
Pearl couscous (see photos above) – Giant couscous that are sold in packets labelled as such. Other names it goes by include gourmet couscous and Israeli couscous. Find it alongside ordinary tiny couscous, usually in the pasta aisle.
Garlic, onion and vegetable or chicken broth – This is for cooking the pearl couscous. As mentioned above, I like to cook the couscous in flavour to make it more delicious. Try it once and you’ll never look back!
Fresh herbs – Dill and coriander/cilantro are a wonderful combination that I love using. Really try not to skip the herbs as they lift the dish. But in my view, this is still worth making even if you do not have one or both of these as the couscous itself and dressing add great flavour into the salad.
Best substitutes are: parsley (same quantity) or a bit of chives (say, 1/4 cup finely sliced). For a different flavour profile but something beautifully fresh, try mint and parsley, finely chopped. Add to taste. Be bold! 🙂
Baby spinach – Leafy green of choice. Finely sliced so it tosses through the couscous.
Alternatives: Baby rocket/arugula, torn by hand or chopped into smaller bits (so it tosses though well). Or finely sliced kale, but best to marinate it first to soften the tougher leaves. Follow directions in this recipe.
Cherry tomatoes – For juicy pops and lovely colour. Ordinary tomato cut into chunks or large dice will also work.
Cucumber – For fresh crunch. Nice textural contrast as there’s no nuts or anything else crunchy in this.
Lemon dressing
A bright lemon dressing is a natural pairing here. No surprises in the ingredients! If you don’t have Dijon Mustard, sub with ordinary yellow mustard. And the lemon juice can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
How to make pearl couscous salad
The pearl couscous needs to be cooked around 1 hour in advance to give it sufficient time to cool before tossing with the salad ingredients. You can speed up the cooling process by spreading it on a tray and refrigerating it.
Sauté garlic and onion in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.
Add couscous and stir, cooking for 1 minute, to coat it in the flavoured oil. Add the stock/broth and water. Then once it starts simmering, place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low.
Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm.
Cool – Use a fork to separate the couscous, then transfer into a large bowl to cool. The couscous will stick together into a big block. But don’t worry, it will separate when tossed with the dressing.
Dressing – Shake the ingredients together in a jar.
Toss! Add all the salad ingredients and fresh herbs into the bowl with the couscous then toss well with the Dressing. Serve immediately, at room temperature!
What to serve with this pearl couscous salad
Serve it as a meal in itself, which is what I often do, or as a side.
As a side dish, with the bright Mediterranean flavours in this, the obvious pairing would be all things Mediterranean like Greek Baked Chicken, Turkish lamb skewers, Greek Meatballs and Greek butterflied lamb leg. But I especially love serving this with African and Middle Eastern spiced things – like Chicken Shawarma which is pictured below, and Moroccan Lamb backstraps . The fresh flavours of this pearl couscous salad are a terrific contrast to the earthy, complex flavours of Middle Eastern flavours.
Other similar spiced mains include Middle Eastern Lamb Koftas, Lamb Shawarma (oh my, this is SO GOOD!), Moroccan Lamb Meatballs and the Jerk Fish I shared earlier this week (YES! It would be amazing with this!).
Deceptively large amount of greens!
There is a deceptively large amount of greens packed into this salad. Because the beads of couscous are so small relative to, for example, pasta, there’s a lot more “stuff” for veggies to be stirred into. I’m not really explaining it very well! But if (WHEN!!!) you make this, you’ll feel like there’s a ton of greens for just 1 1/2 cups of couscous. But the couscous expands when cooking and once it’s all tossed together, it seems like just the right amount.
Hidden veggies!
Salad that can be eaten with a spoon!
Why does it feel so immature that this appeals to me so much??? – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
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Pearl Couscous Salad
Ingredients
Couscous:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- ½ small onion , finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (250g/ 8oz) pearl couscous (aka gourmet or Israeli couscous, Note 1)
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth , low sodium
- 1 cup water
Salad:
- 2 cucumbers , diced (about 2 cups)
- 250g / 8 oz cherry tomatoes , halved (about 2 cups)
- 3 cups baby spinach , finely sliced (Note 2)
- ¼ cup coriander / cilantro , finely chopped (or sub with parsley)
- ¼ cup dill , finely chopped
Lemon Dressing (Note 3):
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 tsp sugar , optional
- 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Couscous:
- Sauté onion & garlic – Heat oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.
- Couscous & broth – Add couscous and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add broth and water, bring to a simmer. Then place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low so it is simmering gently.
- Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm. Use a fork to separate the couscous, then transfer into a large bowl to cool. (It will form a sticky block but don't worry, it will separate when tossed with Dressing).
Salad:
- Dressing – Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.
- Toss! Add Salad ingredients into the bowl, pour over Dressing and toss. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2017. Updated January 2023 with a name change from Israeli Couscous Salad to Pearl Couscous Salad due to the political sensitivity around the recipe name. The brand I used to use sold this type of couscous labelled as “Israeli couscous”. I don’t want my website to be a political forum so I’ve changed the name. And actually, these days most packets are labelled “pearl couscous”. Post has also been updated with an improved video worthy of this fabulous salad and refreshed photos. No change to recipe – it’s perfect as is!
MORE SUMMER SALADS to take to gatherings
Wild Rice Salad <– reader fave!
Everybody’s favourite Macaroni Salad
Browse all Pasta Salads and Rice Salad
Life of Dozer
Teamwork! 😂 (Dozer on the left with this friend Aggie on the right!)
I really love this salad. Made it several times. Anything with dill and cilantro gets my attention. I cut down on the couscous to limit the carbs and eat if for days.
This salad was even better the next day. Perfect for an Aussie summer.
Thanks Sandra! N x
I made this for a get together today. It was delicious and I am looking forward to polishing off the leftovers. The lemon dressing really makes the salad.
Great recipe for lemon dressing!
zesty delicious dressing!
So delicious and try with a little goat cheese or feta on top for another flavour bomb
QUESTION: Prepared the couscous today for serving tomorrow. It did become sticky as it cooled. Gonna do final prep with vegetables before serving tomorrow. Should I put the dressing on today before refrigerating the pre-cooked couscous?
Any thoughts on this.
I found a cous cous recipe recently that recommended you quickly fry the cous cous in oil after it’s cooked and it worked perfectly!
About 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat for ~2 cups of freshly cooked cous cous and fry for 1 minute before cooling.
Dress at the last minute to avoid slimy spinach.
perhaps you need to contact the companies who market and sell this Couscous – aka Isreali
Making this for friends, looking forward to trying this salad.
Simple and tasty and can be served with anything! Another great recipe Nagi
Hello just to say I love your recipes they always turn out well and are delicious. But I need to correct you the couscous recipe is not Israeli it’s Palestinian. In Palestine they use cucumbers but in Syria and Lebanon they don’t and it’s name is Tabbouleh. Giant couscous is Palestinian not Israeli, please don’t allow Israel to steal Palestinian identity and food culture.
The pearl couscous as sold in American grocery stores under the Rice Select brand is called Toasted ISRAELI Couscous. Comments such as yours that are not relating directly to the recipe should be posted elsewhere.
perhaps you need to contact the companies who market and sell this Couscous – aka Isreali
Making this for friends, looking forward to trying this salad.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_couscous
Thank you, Joshua! So, “Israeli Ptitim” it IS. Developed in Israel in the 1950s. Let’s enjoy great food, not bad politics! Cheers!
Delicious! I used mint instead of dill (which I forgot to buy) and it tasted amazingly fresh. I had it with your marinated pork chops. I usually always have a salad but it really didn’t need it. You could add anything to this and we all much preferred the larger couscous.. Just tried the leftovers in the fridge and it tastes even better after a day 😀. Another winner Nagi, thanks! x
I am going to make this for a somewhat eclectic “movie night” with friends the day after tomorrow. The meal as planned right now is (app) heirloom tomato bruschetta – one each with yellow and red tomatoes, homegrown basil; a selection of sausages from the local natural foods co-op (to be determined by what they have fresh), and accompanied by this couscous dish and a watermelon feta salad; and for dessert, cookies and ice cream. Oh, and the movie selection is “Light on the Piazza” with Olivia deHavilland and George Hamilton in leading roles. 😊
Ooops, forgot the 5 stars!
This is my favourite salad of all time, I’ve made it thrice in a week and could eat it every meal if I wanted. I love it paired with lamb kofta! Thank you Nagi, absolutely killed it with this one 🙂
Just made this today, eating it now. Delicious! And looks so bright and healthy. Definitely making this again!
Love, love, love this salad. Just delicious…
Being a coeliac, I cannot eat couscous; can I replace Israeli couscous with quinoa? And if I can, would the quantity be the same as the couscous?
I think this would have to be my all time favorite salad recipe – YUM! My entire family LOVED it and said it tasted like summer! So simple and yet so good!
I have always steered clear of cous cous…the family never enjoyed it BUT that was when you just added a but of butter and served!
Well after trying this recipe I just wanted to eat if hot as it cooked..it was so tasty.
Really enjoyed this salad…served it with Greek souvlaki chicken and then leftovers with salmon as another meal.
Another great RTE recipe to add to my RTE collection.
Thx Nagi 😊
Omg this is very good! Thank you Nagi for all your super tasty and easy recipes – Recipe Tin Eats is my always go to for dinner idea! Hi from Sydney 👋