Couscous Salad with Peas and Walnuts
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This Couscous Salad shines with tender peas, crunchy walnuts, and a fresh homemade basil vinaigrette. The dressing soaks right into the couscous for maximum flavor in every bite. Serve as a side dish, bring to the potluck or neighborhood party, or save it to eat yourself for lunch.
Couscous with Peas and Herb Dressing
Accuse me of being obsessed with new side salads, and I’ll put my hands in the air and say, “guilty as charged.” There’s just something so breezy and yet satisfying about salads, and I love that many combos can flex effortlessly from rounding out family pizza night to impressing at the neighborhood block party. Extra extra credit to salads like this one that keep well in the fridge for several days, meaning they can be the base of a high-quality lunch, as well.
This particular couscous salad is inspired quite humbly by Little Spice Jar, where the spring flavors and colors just popped out to me. The crunch of walnuts, the tender sweet peas, and a roasted garlic-infused couscous blend make every bite pop, and we loved it with the same simple dressing that pulls together our tortellini with roasted veggies. The end result is a salad with some heft, thanks to the grains, and vibrant flavor in one.
Couscous Salad Recipe Highlights
- Fresh and flavorful: Peas are a favorite of mine for imparting a fresh, vibrant “feel” despite coming straight from the freezer section, and the dressing alone douses everything with a bright herb-acious sensation.
- Easy to make ahead: This salad tastes as great after 12 hours in the fridge as it does served right away. The couscous gently absorbs the light dressing so there’s no watery effect.
- Mix of textures: We love how the soft couscous and peas contrast with the crackly walnuts in each bite.
- Easy to break down for picky eaters: Set aside some couscous and some peas before combining the salad, so choosy eaters can try the component parts (or at least think about it), no extra cooking required.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
This is just an at-a-glance overview of the main things you will need. Find the complete list and amounts in the recipe card below.
- Couscous. I default to a packaged, seasoned box of Near East couscous for this because it’s so simple and easy, plus I like the whole grains. You instead can use 1 cup of plain couscous, cooked according to package directions, and add extra seasoning yourself.
- Frozen peas. Of course substitute with fresh if you have them on hand.
- Walnuts. Swap in another mild nut if you prefer–slivered almonds, toasted cashews, or jewel-like pine nuts would all be tasty. Looking for a nut-free version? Pumpkin or sunflower seeds could work so you don’t miss the crunch.
- Fresh garlic and herbs. Parsley for adding directly to the salad, basil for the vinaigrette.
Ingredient Spotlight: Couscous
Couscous is a processed grain made from tiny balls of either durum wheat or semolina flour. Couscous made of durum wheat may be considered a whole grain. According to Healthline and WebMD, these humble beads are high in fiber and the essential mineral selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant, and relatively rich in plant-based protein with an estimated 6 grams per 1 cup serving. There are different types of couscous; the kind shown in this recipe has the smallest size and is more specifically known as Moroccan couscous, though — lucky us — it’s readily available worldwide.
How To Make Couscous Salad with Peas
I’ve included a few step-by-step photos here to make this recipe extra easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Prepare the couscous. Follow package directions for cooking your couscous–it is typically pretty quick, a matter of boiling water, then stirring in dried couscous and letting rest off the heat for 5 minutes or so. When done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl.
Blitz together the dressing. While the couscous cooks, combine basil, olive oil, vinegar, and spices in a small food processor or blender, and pulse into a fragrant dressing. Add just enough water to thin it out so you can drizzle it onto the couscous.
Steam peas, then combine them with the couscous and dressing. You can simply cook the peas in the microwave if you purchased the steam-in-bag variety, use a stovetop steaming basket, or blanche them in boiling water.
At this point, you can proceed to add the walnuts and parsley right away to serve the salad a bit warm, or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours if you prefer.
When ready to serve, stir in the walnuts and parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
Variations, Tips & Tricks for Success
- Start with plain couscous. Start with 1 cup of dry couscous. To mimic the added flavor in this recipe, add an extra 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt to the couscous and water as it cooks, then toss in a pinch of garlic powder or 1 minced clove, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and 1/8 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the cooked, cooling couscous as you fluff with a fork.
- Fluff right away and fluff well. When preparing couscous, remove the lid right after the cooking time is finished, and pull a fork through right away to get the most fluffy effect. Be sure to also fluff the couscous around the edges and bottom of the pan.
- Add more color. Toss in extra veggies if you like, or some crumbled feta, Pecorino, or goat cheese for more of a creamy effect.
- Make it a little smokey. Punch up the dressing by including an extra 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a pinch of smoked paprika.
What To Serve With Couscous Salad
We find this easy salad terrific as a side dish with everything from balsamic pork tenderloin to grilled chicken thighs. It tends to pair well with Italian and other Mediterranean flavors, so Italian dressing chicken or Greek shrimp skewers are also natural complements.
Craving this as a light lunch? It’s dreamy cold or warm with a little added grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon for protein.
Storage
Tuck extra couscous salad in the fridge for 3-4 days, tightly covered. Enjoy cold, at room temperature, or warmed in the microwave.
Related Recipes
We also love this super fast take on the Jennifer Aniston salad, a lemon orzo feta combination, and this berry pecan salad with spinach and chicken for a fresh and satisfying lunch. Love couscous? This pearl couscous salad with cucumber and tomatoes is always a hit.
Couscous Salad with Peas and Walnuts
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 box Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil couscous see note
- 1 and 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
For the Dressing
- 3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher or flaked sea salt
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Prepare couscous according to package directions. Fluff with a fork, transfer to a large bowl, and set aside.1 box Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil couscous
- Steam the peas, either on the stovetop or in the microwave, as desired. Drain off any excess water, then transfer to the bowl with the couscous and stir.1 and 1/2 cups frozen peas
- To make the vinaigrette, combine basil, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and red pepper in a small food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Add one or two Tablespoons of water until the dressing is thin enough to easily pour and coat the couscous and veggies.3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon kosher or flaked sea salt, 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1-2 Tablespoons water
- Pour dressing over the couscous and peas. Stir well.
- At this point you can proceed to serve the salad warm, or transfer it to the fridge, cover, and chill for up to 12 hours.
- When ready to serve, stir in the walnuts and fresh parsley.1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Season with salt and black pepper, or red pepper for heat, until it tastes good and flavorful to you, then serve.
Notes
- Couscous: I use the packaged, seasoned boxes of couscous for this because they’re simple and easy, but you can also use 1 cup of plain couscous, cooked according to package directions. To mimic the added flavor in this recipe, add an extra 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt to the couscous and water as it cooks, then toss in a pinch of garlic powder or 1 minced clove, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and 1/8 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the cooked, cooling couscous as you fluff with a fork.
- Leftovers: Extra couscous salad keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days, tightly covered, and can be eaten cold or at room temperature.
- Recipe: Inspired by Little Spice Jar.
For the best results, I highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. I am a real person who personally writes, tests, and photographs all of these recipes in my own kitchen, and I appreciate the time and energy that you put into feeding your family, too. These tips will help you enjoy the best results.
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