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Couscous salad with chickpeas, peaches, avocado, herbs, vegetables, and crunchy seeds in a bowl

Couscous Summer Salad with Chickpeas and Fresh Herbs

Couscous salad is a fresh, colorful grain salad with tender couscous, crisp produce, and a balanced mix of sweet, savory, and herbaceous flavors. It is a vibrant choice for gatherings or an easy meal when you want a satisfying dish with plenty of texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 466
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Couscous Base
  • 1 cup couscous (uncooked)
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken or veggie broth, warm
  • salt and pepper
Salad Ingredients
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 pieces of fresh sweet corn, kernels cut off the cob
  • 2 nectarines or peaches, diced
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 avocado, cut into chunks
  • 1/4 red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup pepitas, sunflower seeds, or something crunchy
  • 2 cups arugula or spinach
  • parsley / mint / basil / any herbs, really
Dressing
  • lemon juice, honey, olive oil for dressing

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Add couscous, dried cherries, cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper to a bowl.
  2. Pour the warm broth over the couscous mixture and allow it to stand until the couscous is cooked, about 5 minutes. Let the couscous cool.
  3. Combine the couscous mixture with chickpeas, corn, nectarines or peaches, cucumber, avocado, red onion, crunchy topping, greens, and herbs.
  4. Add lemon juice, honey, and olive oil for dressing, then toss everything together and adjust seasoning to taste.

Notes

This salad keeps for about a day as leftovers, though the texture will become softer over time. For making it ahead, prepare the individual components separately and combine them shortly before serving.