Couscous Salad With Dill & Feta
One of my favorite types of side dishes to create is fun pasta salads with lots of herbs and delicious vegetables. Pasta salads have been so ordinary for so long, it’s time they have a makeover with a few fun twists to make them stand out and become even more inspiring. This pasta salad recipe swaps traditional pasta (such as bowtie or fusilli) with pearled couscous, which is made using semolina flour just as any pasta, but is formed into little balls that have a great chewy texture in a salad like this. This salad also shines from the delicious Mediterranean spices and herbs added – dill and zaatar. Dill is a delicate, fresh, and subtly sweet herb, making it the perfect pairing with zaatar, which is a delicious blend of components like oregano, thyme, sesame, sumac, cumin, or others. Like any spice blend, every zaatar mix is made slightly different, which makes it an even more fun addition to this recipe, as you’ll see small variations based on what blend of zaatar you’re using. Spoiler alert — all versions will be delicious!
Can couscous salad be made a day ahead? Yes, this salad is perfect if made a day ahead of time, as this gives the vinaigrette time to soak into the couscous and take on more of its flavor. I recommend eating the salad within two days of making it to preserve the freshness of the herbs and cucumbers, as these can often wilt if left too long to sit in the fridge.
How long does couscous salad last in the fridge? I recommend eating this couscous salad with dill and feta within two days of making it to ensure the cucumbers still have a nice crunch and the dill does not wilt from soaking up the vinaigrette. If you wish to make this salad more than two days ahead of time, I recommend leaving the dill and cucumbers out and adding them when you’re ready to serve. Making the couscous ahead of time and letting it soak in the bright dressing will still save you ample time and give the couscous time to develop even more flavor, while adding the cucumbers and dill when you’re ready to serve will prioritize their freshness, so either route will deliver delicious results!
When making pasta salad, should you rinse the pasta? This is a great (and oftentimes controversial) question! In this recipe, I recommend that you rinse the couscous before making the rest of the pasta salad. This is because couscous specifically can become gummy and have a starchy substance coating it that isn’t pleasurable when mixed with a vinaigrette. It’s also beneficial for time savings when you rinse the couscous because you can bring the temperature of the pasta down by rinsing with cold water instead of having to wait for it to cool on the counter by itself.
Why does my pasta salad get dry? Sometimes, when pasta salad sits in the fridge overnight (or for multiple days), it can get dry in the fridge. This is because the pasta soaks up the liquid from the dressing and leaves little to coat the rest of the ingredients. This isn’t a loss in my opinion because the pasta still retains all of the delicious flavor of the dressing! To make sure you still have a well-hydrated pasta salad after a few days, though, I recommend just drizzling the pasta salad with a touch more olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice when you’re ready to serve to add a nice coating of dressing back to the outside of the pasta and the rest of the ingredients.
What to serve with couscous salad with dill and feta? I love pairing any delicious and fresh pasta salad, such as this one, with a roasted or grilled accompaniment. Steak or chicken is a delicious pairing with this salad, or if you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you can grill mushrooms or zucchini (or both), and they will pair beautifully with the bright and herbaceous dressing.
How to make couscous salad with dill & feta:
Couscous Salad With Dill & Feta
This herbaceous and zesty couscous salad with dill & feta is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Featuring subtly sweet dill, spicy zaatar, and bright lemon juice, this pasta salad shines with Mediterranean flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pearled couscous
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped dill
- 2 cups diced cucumber
- 6 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp dijon
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp zaatar
- Optional - pinch chili flakes
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Make the couscous according to package instructions and rinse it with cool water after cooking (just until the couscous is slightly warm) to stop it from cooking any further. Drain it and set it aside in a large bowl.
- Mix all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl (olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon, honey, zaatar, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes, if using) and pour over the couscous.
- Add the fresh chopped dill, diced cucumbers, and crumbled feta to the bowl and season the salad with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the salad until all ingredients are evenly distributed and serve right away or up to two days later when stored in the fridge.
