Couscous Salad with Spicy Tzatziki

A couscous salad is one of my all-time favorite things to eat! Topped with a spicy tzatziki it’s made even more special. Ya’ll need this for lunch today!

This recipe is light and healthy, perfect for a spring or summer lunch. This is one of those recipes I like to prep at the beginning of the week by chopping all the veggies and cooking a big batch of fluffy couscous so when I want to eat something fast, I have everything ready. This recipe also works great if you need to meal prep containers for the week. If you decided to prep it that way, I would keep the tzatziki in a separate container. Another reason I love a couscous salad is it can be eaten at any temperature. I really love to eat it just room temp.

The idea to write this recipe came to me when I was craving raw cucumbers, which happened after a weekend full of indulging on greasy restaurant pig out foods. (Am I the only weirdo that craves watery raw veggies? lol Hopefully not.) So, in deep need for a healthy meal, I immediately thought of a couscous salad.

What is couscous?

If you’re not familiar with couscous, there are a few different kinds. I am using the smallest size couscous called Moroccan in this recipe which is made of fine granules of durum wheat and the easiest to find at the grocery store. There is also Israeli or pearl couscous if you prefer, which is more pasta like in texture and slightly larger in size. Couscous is a good source of plant-based protein and makes a great alternative to rice. It also offers other great nutritional benefits.

How to make this couscous salad

The hardest part of this recipe is the prep; but don’t get discouraged because it really isn’t that bad. Like I mentioned earlier, I usually like to prep everything ahead of time and have it in the fridge to make later or meal prep the whole recipe into containers that will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Salad Veggies: For this recipe, my go to vegetables to use are sliced English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and diced red onion for extra crunch.

To make the couscous salad, mix the cooked couscous with dill, lemon, and salt. Top with cannellini beans and your chopped veggies. I also like to add a little feta if I have it in the fridge. I love the saltiness it adds to the couscous. And, of course, don’t forget the tzatziki that’s been spiced up with harissa paste!

What is harissa tzatziki?

Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste made with roasted red peppers and lots of great spices. It has a very smokey flavor and can be mild to extremely spicy. I recommend tasting it on its own before adding it to your tzatziki so it doesn’t blow your tastebuds out. If spice isn’t your thing, you can totally leave this ingredient out. The salad will be delicious either way.

Tzatziki is a yogurt sauce or dip originating in Greece. It’s usually made with greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, lemon, garlic and dill. There are lots of variations of this sauce and most stores carry multiple brands of tzatziki sauce so try some out and pick your favorite.

Can I change up the veggies in this recipe?

Of course! I will sometimes use grilled zucchini or asparagus when they are in season, and they are equally delicious if raw vegetables aren’t your thing.
Add more greens: Toss the warm couscous with baby arugula or spinach for an extra veggie boost.
Change up your protein: If you don’t like the texture of cannellini beans, you can always add a can of roasted chickpeas or shrimp would be delicious.

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5 from 1 vote

Couscous Salad with Spicy Tzatziki

A quick and healthy recipe perfect for your next lunch!

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: Healthy Lunch

Yield: 4

Materials

• 1 can rinsed and drained cannellini beans
• 1 English cucumber cut into half moons
• 1/2 large red onion diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup dry couscous
• 1 container store bought (or homemade) tzatziki
• 1-2 tbs harissa
• 1 tsp smoked paprika to taste
• salt to taste
• 1 tbs fresh chopped dill
• 1/2 juice of a lemon
• optional feta crumbled on top

Instructions

• 1. In a sauce pot, bring one cup of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the couscous and immediately remove pot from heat. Cover the pot and let sit for 8-10 minutes. Once all the water has soaked into the couscous, fluff with a fork. Season with salt to taste, the dill and lemon juice.
• 2. While the couscous is cooking, start chopping the veggies.
• 3. In a separate bowl, toss cannellini beans with smoked paprika and salt to taste.
• 4. Combine the fluffy couscous with the cannellini beans and check the seasoning one more time.
• 5. Add your desired amount of harissa to the container of tzatziki and mix thoroughly.
• 6. When you're to serve, top the couscous and bean mixture with prepped veggies and feta if using and add a dollop of spicy tzatziki on top.

Notes

If you’re doing a meal prep, I would store the veggies and tzatziki separate from the couscous mixture unless you plan to eat the salad at room temperature.