Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
Couscous makes a softer-textured alternative to bulgur wheat in tabbouleh, the refreshing herb-filled Middle Eastern salad. You may vary the dish with grated carrot or perhaps a bit of minced red bell pepper for color—or any other leftover cooked vegetables in the refrigerator. For a more substantial dish, you may…
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Couscous makes a softer-textured alternative to bulgur wheat in tabbouleh, the refreshing herb-filled Middle Eastern salad. You may vary the dish with grated carrot or perhaps a bit of minced red bell pepper for color—or any other leftover cooked vegetables in the refrigerator. For a more substantial dish, you may stir in about 2 cups of canned chickpeas that are rinsed and drained.
Ingredients
- 1 10-oz. pkg. (about 13/4 cups) plain instant couscous
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 to 4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup minced fresh mint
- 3/4 cup minced fresh parsley, or half fresh parsley and half fresh basil or cilantro
- 1/4 cup thin-sliced scallions rings, green and white portions
- 1 12-oz. English or European cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, optional
Preparation
Cook couscous according to package directions, remove from heat and set aside. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer couscous to a large bowl, and immediately combine oil with it using a large fork to fluff grains. When combined, stir in lemon juice to taste, and let mixture cool briefly. Stir remaining ingredients into couscous, and sprinkle in more salt, if desired. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Fluff again before serving.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 360
- Carbohydrate Content 41 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 19 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 7 g
- Saturated Fat Content 2 g
- Sodium Content 400 mg
- Sugar Content 1 g