A vibrant, satisfying, and wholesome dish, this Vegan Giant Couscous Salad is the perfect balance of fresh, crunchy vegetables and chewy, hearty couscous. A great salad should be more than just a pile of leaves. It should be vibrant, packed with textures, and bursting with flavour. This Vegan Giant Couscous Salad ticks all the boxes.
The chewy, pasta-like giant couscous forms the perfect base for a medley of fresh vegetables, creamy vegan feta, and a tangy dressing that ties everything together beautifully. Whether you need a quick lunch, a nutritious side, or a meal-prep option that holds up beautifully in the fridge, this salad delivers on all fronts. Packed with protein, fibre, and bold Mediterranean flavours, it’s a dish you’ll find yourself making again and again.
If you’d like to see me make this dish, head over here.
Table of Contents:
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Cooking the Perfect Giant Couscous
- Balancing Flavours and Textures
- The Perfect Salad Dressing: Simple Yet Impactful
- Meal Prep Made Easy
- Customisation: Make This Salad Your Own
- Vegan Giant Couscous Salad: Serving Suggestions
- Looking for More Veg-focused Recipes?
Ingredient Breakdown
- Giant couscous: A hearty base with a delightfully chewy texture, making the salad more filling than traditional couscous.
- Cherry tomatoes: Juicy and sweet, adding a fresh burst of flavour.
- Bell peppers: Crisp and colourful, they enhance the salad’s crunch.
- Red onion: Finely chopped for a subtle sharpness that complements the other ingredients.
- Cucumber: Refreshing and hydrating, offering a light contrast to the chewy couscous.
- Flat-leaf parsley: Adds a bright, herbaceous note.
- Chickpeas: A great source of plant-based protein and extra texture.
- Vegan feta: Brings a creamy, tangy element that elevates the dish.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: A high-quality oil is key for a rich and flavourful dressing.
- Red wine vinegar: Lends acidity to balance the richness of the olive oil and feta.
- Garlic: Infuses the dressing with a punchy depth.
- Agave or honey: A hint of sweetness to round out the flavours.
Cooking the Perfect Giant Couscous
Despite its name, giant couscous isn’t a grain like traditional couscous. Instead, it’s a type of pasta, with a texture similar to pearls of al dente pasta rather than the fine, granular texture of regular couscous. Wholewheat giant couscous, in particular, offers a more robust bite and a higher protein content, making it a fantastic choice for those looking to add extra sustenance to their meals.
Giant couscous differs from regular couscous in texture and cooking method. While traditional couscous simply steams in hot water, giant couscous requires boiling like pasta. To get the perfect texture, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil before adding the couscous. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, and cook according to package instructions. Rinse it under cold water once drained to stop the cooking process and keep the grains separate. This step ensures that the grains remain separate, making for a salad that’s light and well-balanced rather than dense and starchy.
Balancing Flavours and Textures
The beauty of this Vegan Giant Couscous Salad lies in its variety of textures and flavours. Each ingredient plays a distinct role, coming together harmoniously to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
- Crisp vegetables provide contrast to the softness of the couscous and chickpeas.
- Fresh herbs brighten up the dish and cut through the richness of the olive oil.
- A tangy, garlicky dressing ensures that every bite is packed with flavour.
- Vegan feta adds a creamy, salty depth, bringing everything together.
By layering these elements thoughtfully, you achieve a salad that’s both refreshing and deeply satisfying.
For maximum flavour, allow the salad to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. This resting time lets the couscous absorb the dressing, ensuring that every spoonful is bursting with taste. If making ahead, store the dressing separately and toss it in just before serving to keep everything crisp and fresh.
The Perfect Salad Dressing: Simple Yet Impactful
The dressing is what ties the whole salad together, so getting the balance right is key. A combination of extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and a touch of sweetness ensures a well-rounded flavour profile. The acidity of the vinegar enhances the brightness of the vegetables, while the richness of the olive oil adds depth and cohesion.
A trick to making a truly well-balanced dressing is to emulsify it properly. Whisking the ingredients together thoroughly ensures that the oil and vinegar combine into a smooth, velvety consistency that coats each ingredient evenly. For extra depth, let the dressing sit for a few minutes before adding it to the salad, this allows the garlic to infuse the oil, creating a more intense flavour.
Meal Prep Made Easy
One of the best things about this Vegan Giant Couscous Salad is how well it keeps. Unlike leafy salads that wilt quickly, this dish holds up beautifully in the fridge for several days. The couscous absorbs the dressing over time, making the flavours even more pronounced. If you’re planning to enjoy it throughout the week, consider adding the vegan feta just before serving to keep its texture fresh.
For easy storage, portion the salad into airtight containers and refrigerate for up to four days. When ready to eat, give it a quick toss to redistribute the dressing, and it’s good to go.
This salad makes an excellent packed lunch, picnic dish, or side for a summer barbecue. Serve it cold or at room temperature for the best flavour. Pair it with grilled vegetables, falafel, or a simple soup for a balanced, nourishing meal.
Customisation: Make This Salad Your Own
This salad is endlessly adaptable. If you like extra heat, toss in some chilli flakes or a drizzle of sriracha. For a burst of extra freshness, squeeze in some lemon juice just before serving. If you want more crunch, toasted nuts or seeds make a fantastic addition. The beauty of this dish lies in how easily you can adapt it to your preferences.
You can also experiment with different herbs – fresh mint or basil would bring a lovely aromatic quality to the dish. If you prefer a more substantial meal, roasted aubergine, courgette, or sweet potatoes would work beautifully alongside the existing ingredients.
Vegan Giant Couscous Salad: Serving Suggestions
While this Vegan Giant Couscous Salad is fantastic on its own, it also pairs well with a variety of dishes:
- Serve alongside grilled vegetables or falafel for a complete meal.
- Pair with a creamy hummus and warm pita bread for a Mediterranean-inspired spread.
- Use it as a filling for stuffed peppers or avocado halves for an elegant presentation.
Looking for More Veg-focused Recipes?
Did you enjoy making this Vegan Rainbow Noodle Salad? Why not try some more of my veg-focused recipes below:
- Thai-Inspired Noodle Salad: A vibrant, zingy noodle salad packed with veggies and finished with the punchiest lime and fish sauce dressing.
- Vegan Bolognese (Ragu): A delicious, rich plant-based ragu with mushrooms and Puy lentils.
- Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Tagine: A warmly spiced vegan tagine, packed full of veggies, warming spices and bursting with flavour.
- :Green Beans in Tomato Sauce: Loosely inspired by fasolakia, a Greek dish made of tender green beans, stewed with tomatoes, garlic and lots and lots of extra-virgin olive oil, among other things
Vegan Giant Couscous Salad
This wholesome plant-based salad is fresh, filling and packed with veggies. It’s absolutely delicious, so easy to throw together and requires no cooking, aside from boiling the giant couscous. It’s also great for meal prepping as it keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Fun fact: despite its name, giant couscous isn’t actually couscous; it’s a form of pasta. It adds a wonderful chewy texture to dishes. I’ve opted for wholewheat giant couscous as it’s higher in protein, which makes the salad more filling, but you can use regular giant couscous as well. For reference, 100g regular giant couscous contains 3.6g of protein while the same amount of wholewheat giant couscous can contain up to 12.3g of protein, depending on the brand.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Vegan, Plant based, Salad, Pasta
Ingredients
- 300 g dried wholewheat giant couscous
- 250 g cherry or baby plum tomatoes, quartered
- 2 bell peppers, finely diced
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cucumber, finely diced
- 1 large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 150 g vegan feta
For the dressing:
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp agave or honey
Instructions
- Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil the wholewheat giant couscous according to the package instructions then rinse under cold water and drain.
- While the couscous is cooking, place the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, season with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and whisk to combine.
- Place the cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, parsley, chickpeas and feta in a large bowl. Season with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and toss to combine.
- Add the drained couscous and dressing and toss well to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking then serve immediately or pack in airtight containers and enjoy throughout the week.
4 Responses
Yo I added hazelnuts in with the chickpeas and omfg out of this world. Also threw in some pomegranate seeds and yessssssss I love this recipe!!!
So glad you enjoyed it! Love the sound of adding hazelnuts – the texture must’ve been so good!
This was absolutely delicious! We didn’t have any red wine vinegar or fresh parsley, so I used 2 tbsp of lemon juice and a drop of water for the dressing.
It is so delicious, there are only two of us so it has made plenty for lunch tomorrow too!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the positive feedback 🙂