Believe it or not, this giant couscous salad with lime and pistachio is ready in less than 15 minutes. By the time you cook the couscous then all the other elements are ready and you can just assemble everything in a large serving bowl.
The flavours all work amazingly well together and it is packed with good stuff and all finished off with a lovely easy lime vinaigrette.
It has lots of fresh herbs, so it really tastes so fresh and delicious. And has chickpeas, pistachios and pumpkin seeds so it’s filling too.
It’s a great one to make as a side for a BBQ or family gathering and goes well with many dishes.
Why you’ll enjoy this giant couscous salad
- Fresh and vibrant: Packed with veggies like cucumber, sweetcorn, herbs, and pomegranate seeds, this salad is bursting with flavour and colour with an almost Mediterranean feel.
- Simple ingredients: Made with everyday ingredients and a quick four-ingredient dressing, it’s easy enough for busy weekdays and more relaxed weekends.
- Perfect for meal prep: This salad keeps well in the fridge, making it a great option for lunches, picnics, and make-ahead meals.
- Naturally nourishing: Chickpeas provide plant-based protein and fibre, while nuts and seeds add healthy fats to help keep you feeling satisfied.
- Easy to customise: Enjoy it as it is, or serve alongside your favourite protein for an even more substantial meal.
What is giant couscous?
For those of you that don’t know, giant couscous is also called pearl couscous or Israeli couscous, if that is more familiar.
It’s a type of pasta made from toasted wheat flour and water. Despite its name, it is quite different from traditional couscous, which are much smaller grains.
Giant couscous is much larger, with small round pearls that become soft and slightly chewy when cooked. For me, they are much more similar to pasta than traditional couscous.
what ingredients are needed for a giant couscous salad:
- Giant couscous
- Chickpeas
- Sweetcorn
- Cucumber
- Fresh parsley & mint
- Pistachios
- Pumpkin seeds
- Pomegranate seeds
And the easy dressing has just 4 simple ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Lime juice
- Salt & pepper
- Maple syrup (just a bit to cut through the acidity of the citrus)
Storage & Shelf Life
You can make this couscous salad in advance and the keep in the fridge until you need it. In fact the flavours just get better and better if you leave it for a while.
It will keep in the fridge for about 4 days, if you don’t eat it all at once.
I don’t recommend freezing.
Recipe Tips
- If you would prefer it gluten free, then it also works well with quinoa or rice.
- If you prefer to use a smaller pasta instead of the couscous, this would also work.
- Want to use lemon rather than lime juice, then this will work well too.
- I like the crunch of pistachios but if you would rather it be nut-free then you can of course leave them out, or replace with more pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Giant Cous Cous Salad
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup dried giant cous cous (160g)
- 1 cup tinned sweetcorn (165g)
- 1½ cups tinned chickpeas (250g)
- ½ cucumber
- Handful of fresh parsley
- Handful of fresh mint
- 4 tbsp pistachios chopped
- 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- Pomegranate seeds optional
Lime vinaigrette ingredients:
- Juice and zest of 2 large limes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the cous cous (add to boiling water and simmer until soft – it only takes about 8-9 minutes).
- Whilst the cous cous is cooking, make the vinaigrette by adding all the ingredients to a jar and shaking well. Chop the cucumber into small chunks and finely chop the herbs.
- Once the cous cous is ready, drain and rinse under cold water and then add to a large serving bowl with all the other ingredients, pour over the dressing and mix and serve.
Notes
- This can be made gluten free if you use quinoa or brown rice.
- It will last for about 3-4 days in a sealed tub in the fridge.
Perfect salad
Thanks so much!
Amazingly refreshing salad! So quick and we say to make! We’ll be out go to salad for quick lunch and BBQs
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed it.
This looks delicious and I love Pearl Couscous and have it but wondering if I can substitute cashews until I can get to the health food store for pistachios?
Yes absolutely! Most nuts would work really well.
I’m allergic to cucumber and melon, can you suggest an alternate that works in this recipe please
You can swap the cucumber for any veggies really – examples would be red pepper, tomatoes or cooked courgettes (zucchini). Hope that helps.