Description
A refreshing and vibrant giant couscous and tomato salad featuring juicy vine tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a zesty zhoug-style dressing. This hearty salad combines tender couscous with a spicy, garlicky dressing, perfect as a light meal or a flavorful side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 4 large vine tomatoes, diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 150g giant couscous or fregola
- ½ small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
- Handful of parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Dressing
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp sea salt (divided)
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes and onion: Place the diced vine tomatoes and finely chopped red onion in a large bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt, toss gently to combine, and let sit to allow the flavors to meld and the salt to draw out the juices from the tomatoes.
- Cook the couscous: Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the giant couscous and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Avoid overcooking so the couscous can absorb the tomato juices.
- Drain and cool couscous: Drain the couscous thoroughly and let it cool for 10 minutes. This prevents it from becoming mushy and prepares it to be tossed with the salad ingredients.
- Toss couscous with tomato mixture: Once cooled, combine the couscous with the tomato and onion mixture in the bowl, mixing well so the flavors distribute evenly.
- Make the zhoug-style dressing: In a blender, combine the lemon juice, chopped green chillies, garlic, ground cumin, caster sugar, olive oil, 1 tablespoon water, and remaining ½ teaspoon sea salt. Blend until smooth to create a spicy, tangy dressing.
- Dress the salad and serve: Drizzle some of the dressing over the couscous salad and toss gently to coat. Serve the remaining dressing on the side for diners to add more flavor if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute giant couscous with other large grains like pearl barley, spelt, or cracked bulgur wheat for a different texture.
- Adjust the amount of green chillies based on your preferred spice level.
- Letting the salad sit for a little while before serving allows the flavors to deepen.
- This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature, making it versatile for picnics or potlucks.
- For a vegan option, ensure the couscous is made without any animal-derived ingredients (most plain couscous is vegan).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: giant couscous salad, tomato salad, zhoug dressing, Middle Eastern salad, vegetarian salad, fresh herb salad, healthy lunch
