This Israeli couscous salad recipe is made with chickpeas, cranberries and feta cheese for a delicious salad that’s quick and easy to make!

A bowl with Israeli couscous salad

Israeli couscous, pearl couscous…call it whatever you want but here’s what I know: This is my latest OBSESSION

We’re talking pearl-sized balls of couscous mixed together with freshly chopped veggies, herbs, feta, dried cranberries, chickpeas and a spiced vinaigrette like umm hi what else can you want in a couscous salad?!

Couscous vs. Israeli couscous

So first things first. Let’s establish what is Israeli couscous?

Couscous is essentially a tiny ground pasta (made of wheat) that is often used in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine. It’s used in recipes in a way rice or quinoa would be used.

Israeli couscous is made of larger pearl sized balls which gives it an entirely different texture than regular couscous. This grain was developed in (you guessed it,) Israel and is also sometimes referred to as “pearl couscous”

A large bowl of Israeli couscous salad

How to cook Israeli couscous

One thing I love about making Israeli couscous is that it’s so easy to make and much faster than making a pot of rice or even quinoa.

To cook Israeli couscous, use 1 cup couscous to 1 1/2 cups of broth and 1/2 tsp of salt. Bring the water and salt to a boil, add the couscous, reduce the heat to low and let it sit and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

That’s it! Same cooking technique as rice, but much faster!

Israeli couscous salad in a large bowl with serving spoons

How to make Israeli couscous salad

Once your couscous is cooked, you’ll want to set it aside to let it cool down to room temperature. You can also pop it in the fridge to help it cool down faster.

While the couscous is cooling, chop up your veggies and herbs for the salad and prepare the salad dressing.

Then toss everything together in a large bowl and serve.

Although this salad stays well prepared in advance, it’s still best enjoyed right after dressing it. So if you’re preparing this Israeli couscous salad in advance, leave the dressing on the side until your ready to serve it up!

a close up shot of Israeli couscous salad with chickpeas and vegetables

A few notes on the recipe

If you don’t have Israeli couscous on hand, you can also make this salad with regular couscous. If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, you can substitute quinoa for couscous.

This salad is versatile and would be great with any variety of herbs you have on hand. You can also swap out any veggies for ones that you love.

This salad stores well in the fridge for a few days, but still store better if you keep the salad dressing separate.

two bowls of Israeli couscous salad

More salad recipes to try

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Israeli couscous salad

Israeli Couscous Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 18 mins
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
  • Category: Appetizer, side, salad
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern,
Print Recipe

Description

A fresh salad made with Israeli couscous, chickpeas and dried cranberries for delicious appetizer or side dish! 

Ingredients

Scale

Salad

  • 1 cup Israeli couscous
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup chickpeas
  • a handful of parsley, chopped
  • a handful of mint, chopped
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, chopped
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the couscous: according to package directions then let cool 
  2. Prep the salad: Mix the couscous with the rest of the salad ingredients 
  3. Make the dressing: Blend the dressing ingredients together in a small blender or food processor, then pour onto the salad and mix together. 

Notes

Israeli couscous is also sometimes called pearl couscous.

You can use any type of couscous for this recipe! 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
  • Calories: 265
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 200mg
  • Fat: 11g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 35g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 8g

If you tried this Israeli Couscous Salad or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!