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.
PRINT
PIN
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