This easy vegan pearl couscous salad is bright, lemony, sweet, and salty! It’s the perfect combination of flavors you’ll be craving on a hot summer day.
Bathed in a sweet lemon-basil vinaigrette, you’ll want this vegan pearl couscous salad on repeat all summer long.
I’ve been obsessed with this pearl couscous salad since the first time I made it. It’s salty, crunchy, and combines some of summer’s best flavors into a big bowl of deliciousness. It’s made with tomatoes, basil, crunchy Marcona almonds, and plenty of Castelvetrano olives to give it just the right amount of brininess.
Vegan Parmesan cheese lends the perfect creaminess to this salad and works so well with the sweet lemon-basil vinaigrette. It’s a vegan pasta salad you’ll want at all the cookouts this year!
How to make this vegan pearl couscous salad
What you need
- Pearl couscous: Try it with your favorite pasta, like rotini or fusilli, if you prefer!
- Cherry tomatoes: I used orange and red cherry tomatoes.
- Marcona almonds: These almonds are preserved in a bit of oil with a touch of salt. You can use slivered almonds instead, but I love, love, love Marcona almonds in this recipe!
- Castelvetrano olives: Use your favorite olive, but I love the buttery flavor of Castelvetrano!
- Basil: I add fresh basil to the salad and use it in my vinaigrette!
- Vegan Parmesan cheese: I use Violife Just Like Parmesan for the perfect amount of creaminess.
- Vinaigrette: The lemon-basil vinaigrette is made with basil, garlic, Dijon mustard, vegan honey, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.
How to make it
- Step 1: Cook the pearl couscous. Drain it and rinse under cold water.
- Step 2: Assemble the salad. Combine the almonds, tomatoes, and olives in a bowl. Add the fresh basil, vegan Parmesan cheese, a little extra virgin olive oil, and cooked pearl couscous and stir gently to combine.
- Step 3: Combine the basil, Dijon, garlic, vegan honey, and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add extra virgin olive oil and continue pulsing until smooth.
- Step 4: Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir until combined.
You’re ready to serve it up! Finish the salad with more fresh basil if you like and dig in.
Vegan Pearl Couscous Salad
This easy vegan pearl couscous salad is bright, lemony, sweet, and salty! It's the perfect combination of flavors you'll be craving on a hot summer day.
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Servings: 6
Calories: 340kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl couscous uncooked; or use 8 ounces fusilli, rotini, or farfalle
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup Castelvetrano olives halved
- ½ cup Marcona almonds roughly chopped
- 12 basil leaves torn; plus more for serving
- ½ cup plant-based Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Crushed red pepper to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sweet Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette:
- 1 cup basil leaves loosely packed
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon juiced; about 2 tablespoons juice
- 1 tablespoon plant-based honey
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the pearl couscous:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pearl couscous and cook for 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
Prepare the salad:
- To a large bowl, add the cherry tomatoes, olives, almonds, and basil leaves. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper to taste.
- Add the ½ cup plant-based Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Add the cooked pearl couscous and stir gently to combine.
Make the dressing:
- Add 1 cup basil leaves, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon honey to a food processor. Pulse until thoroughly blended. Add the ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and continue pulsing until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper.
Finish the salad:
- Drizzle the lemon-basil vinaigrette on top. Mix everything with a spoon until the dressing coats the salad completely. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
To serve:
- Spoon the salad into bowls and finish with more basil leaves if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 288mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g
