Arugula Couscous Salad with Feta
My arugula salad with couscous, easy lemon vinaigrette, cucumbers, and feta cheese is one of my favorite arugula recipes. It’s unbelievably simple and tastes incredible. Once you try it, you’ll find yourself making it again and again! It’s funny how specific recipes sneak their way into your weekly rotation. This arugula and couscous salad has done just that. We make it for dinner, eat the leftovers for lunch, and have served it to friends more times than I can count. This arugula salad is simple, fast, and tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant. For more ways to use arugula, see our white bean salad or this fennel and arugula salad. For another salad with couscous, see our easy couscous salad! Key Ingredients Arugula: I find it slightly bitter with a peppery bite, so I love it with lemon. Younger arugula tends to be milder, so I usually go for the smaller, young green leaves. If you’re not a fan, substitute it with your favorite tender greens like spinach, bok choy, or baby kale. Couscous: For this recipe, I prefer pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous) because it looks like tiny pearls and cooks up like pasta in about 10 minutes in boiling salted water. If you don’t have pearl couscous on hand, regular couscous or your favorite grain or small pasta shapes like quinoa, farro, or orzo will work, too. I also love using pearl couscous in my couscous salad with tomatoes! Cucumber: Seedless cucumbers, like hothouse or Persian cucumbers, are my go-to for salads, but you can definitely use regular peeled garden cucumbers with most of the seeds removed. Feta Cheese: I’m a big fan of briny feta cheese, but if you prefer something different, creamy goat cheese, cotija cheese, or shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano are great substitutes. Easy Lemon Vinaigrette: This lemon dressing is my favorite for fresh salads because it perfectly complements the peppery arugula and briny feta! You’ll need lemon juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, basil, salt, and pepper. For an extra boost of lemon flavor, consider adding minced preserved lemon (store-bought or homemade!). I’m currently working on a preserved lemon recipe to share, but in the meantime, you can use my lemon confit, which is equally delicious. Arugula: I find it slightly bitter with a peppery bite, so I love it with lemon. Younger arugula tends to be milder, so I usually go for the smaller, young green leaves. If you’re not a fan, substitute it with your favorite tender greens like spinach, bok choy, or baby kale. Couscous: For this recipe, I prefer pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous) because it looks like tiny pearls and cooks up like pasta in about 10 minutes in boiling salted water. If you don’t have pearl couscous on hand, regular couscous or your favorite grain or small pasta shapes like quinoa, farro, or orzo will work, too. I also love using pearl couscous in my couscous salad with tomatoes! Cucumber: Seedless cucumbers, like hothouse or Persian cucumbers, are my go-to for salads, but you can definitely use regular peeled garden cucumbers with most of the seeds removed. Feta Cheese: I’m a big fan of briny feta cheese, but if you prefer something different, creamy goat cheese, cotija cheese, or shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano are great substitutes. Easy Lemon Vinaigrette: This lemon dressing is my favorite for fresh salads because it perfectly complements the peppery arugula and briny feta! You’ll need lemon juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, basil, salt, and pepper. For an extra boost of lemon flavor, consider adding minced preserved lemon (store-bought or homemade!). I’m currently working on a preserved lemon recipe to share, but in the meantime, you can use my lemon confit, which is equally delicious. How to Make Arugula Couscous Salad The real trick to this arugula salad is assembling it. Make the lemon vinaigrette while your couscous cooks (which takes 10 minutes). Then, toss it with the vinaigrette while the couscous is still warm. The warm couscous will soak up all the delicious flavors of the dressing, which makes the salad taste incredible (I use the same trick for potato salad). After letting the couscous cool a bit, add the remaining salad ingredients and toss well. I love this easy salad by itself or on the side to lemon baked chicken breasts, my Mom’s lemon dill baked salmon, and our turkey burgers! Arugula Couscous Salad with Feta PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins TOTAL 20 mins PREP 10 mins COOK 10 mins TOTAL 20 mins Our arugula salad, made with an easy lemon vinaigrette, pearl couscous, cucumbers, and feta, is crave-worthy. Once you make it, you’ll be itching to make it again. For this salad, we particularly love pearl couscous (often called Israeli couscous). It cooks quickly and gives the salad enough substance to stand on the plate by itself. You can substitute the couscous for pasta, quinoa, or other cooked grains like barley or wheat berries. 4 Servings (or 6 Small Servings) Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need For the Salad 1 ½ cups dried pearl couscous, about 3 cups cooked 3 ounces baby arugula or tender salad greens, about 4 cups Half of a hothouse (seedless) cucumber, chopped 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled, about 1/2 cup 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1/2 large lemon 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup 1 tablespoon minced preserved lemon, optional 1 teaspoon dried basil or a handful chopped fresh basil leaves, optional Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper Directions 1Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add couscous and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, then add to a large bowl. 2Meanwhile, make the lemon vinaigrette. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, honey, preserved lemon, and basil until it looks thick and blended. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper (we add a generous pinch of each). 3Toss the cooked and drained couscous with the dressing, then set aside for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooled slightly. Finish the salad by adding the arugula, cucumbers, and feta. Toss well, then serve. 1Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add couscous and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, then add to a large bowl. 2Meanwhile, make the lemon vinaigrette. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, honey, preserved lemon, and basil until it looks thick and blended. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper (we add a generous pinch of each). 3Toss the cooked and drained couscous with the dressing, then set aside for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooled slightly. Finish the salad by adding the arugula, cucumbers, and feta. Toss well, then serve. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: The salad will keep overnight in the fridge. As it sits, the arugula may wilt slightly, but still will taste great. Couscous: If you cannot find pearl couscous (also called Israeli couscous), substitute with a regular couscous, small pasta shape such as orzo or cooked grains like quinoa, wheat berries and barley. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed 1/2 teaspoon of added salt. Storing: The salad will keep overnight in the fridge. As it sits, the arugula may wilt slightly, but still will taste great. Couscous: If you cannot find pearl couscous (also called Israeli couscous), substitute with a regular couscous, small pasta shape such as orzo or cooked grains like quinoa, wheat berries and barley. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed 1/2 teaspoon of added salt. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/4 of the recipe / Calories 404 / Protein 11 g / Carbohydrate 49 g / Dietary Fiber 3 g / Total Sugars 3 g / Total Fat 18 g / Saturated Fat 5 g / Cholesterol 17 mg / Sodium 479 mg AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us