Mediterranean Cauliflower Couscous Salad is a healthy recipe with fresh summer vegetables and herbs, roasted chickpeas and a homemade lemon feta vinaigrette.
Is anyone else ready for Fall??? I know that I am totally ready for some cooler weather with less humidity!! Urg…it has been hot 👿 The kids in this area start back to school this week and I just feel like it is time for this oppressive heat to subside!! Anyone with me?
Anywho…I guess it is what it is and come this winter I will be praying to have this hot weather back. Although, down here in Southern Georgia it doesn’t get too cold (relatively speaking), so I really shouldn’t complain…but I will 😉
Now I am not saying that I am ready for “cold” weather, just “cooler” weather. And if you have any pull with the weather gods, could you put in a good word for November 15th? That’s my wedding day and we are hoping, praying, willing to make deals, etc. that we have good weather!! Low to mid-seventies, sunny and low humidity would be AMAZING!!! The ceremony is outside and the barn for the reception isn’t cooled or heated…PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!
So with all this hot weather, I have been relying more on salads for my meals, especially lunches and this Mediterranean Cauliflower Couscous Salad might just be my new fav! Packed with summer fresh veggies, including the cauliflower couscous base, it is uber-healthy!! If you missed my post on how to make cauliflower rice or couscous, you should totally check it out —> HERE!
Another star in this Mediterranean Cauliflower Couscous Salad, are the roasted chickpeas!! They give a nice crunch to the salad and add a little smokey heat 😎 I do have a post on the blog if you would like to try making your own roasted chickpeas, you can find it —> HERE 🙂
This recipe on The Kitchn is what started it all!! I am so glad that I made this dish because now I know how delicious cauliflower rice or couscous can be, have a great new recipe for roasted chickpeas and have a new favorite salad!! In fact I ate this salad for a whole week straight at work!!
I felt really good about eating all those fresh veggies, but I think that thehomemade lemon feta vinaigrette was really the icing on the cake!! Ok, is that weird that I just referred to a salad dressing as “icing?” Hmmm…maybe, but I am going with it 😛 It is super simple, fresh and flavorful. All it is is lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Shake those ingredients up in a mason jar (or whatever you’ve got) and voilá…yummy goodness in a jar!!
Close up of all that yumminess!!! 😆
Here is your recipe for Mediterranean Cauliflower Couscous Salad:
- Zest and juice from one large lemon
- 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tbsp. feta cheese crumbles
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt to taste
- 6 cups cauliflower couscous (click HERE to learn how to make)
- 4 plum tomatoes, diced
- 2-3 small bell peppers, diced (use what ever colors you like, I used yellow and green)
- 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
- 1 cucumber, seeded and diced
- ½ red onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives
- ⅓ cup pinenuts
- ⅓ cup feta cheese
- 1 tsp. fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tsp. fresh chives, chopped
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1½ cups roasted chickpeas (click HERE to learn how to make them)
- Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon, garlic, feta and olive oil in a mason jar and shake to combine. Or combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add cauliflower couscous, tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeno, cucumber, red onion, olives, pine nuts, mint, chives, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl.
- Add dressing and stir to combine.
- Add the chickpeas and give it one more stir.
- Enjoy room temperature or chilled.
That sounds absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to make this for my family! They will love it.
That sounds absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to make this for my family! I know they will love it.
Thanks Robin!! I hope they enjoy it as much as we did 🙂
This looks delicious and it sounds very healthy. That’s a perfect combo in my book!
Me too Stacie!! Thanks 🙂
This dish looks super tasty and healthy. Like you said, couscous is always a great option for when it is hot outside. I’ll have to give your recipe a try sometime.
Thanks Amanda!! I hope you do try it 🙂
This looks delicious! I’ve never made anything like it, but it looks easy enough to make. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Theresa! It is really easy 🙂
We love Couscous and I never really thought about serving it like this but bet it tastes wonderful. I saved your recipe and will be trying it out.
Thanks Grace!! It does taste wonderful 🙂
That looks absolutely amazing! I have actually never had Couscous Salad. I cannot wait to try it.
Well this would be absolutely delicious. I love using couscous. I have to make some of this!
Wow, this sounds like a really refreshing salad, I love the addition of fresh lemon!
Must. Have. This. Salad. This salad has so many of my favorite foods, I can’t wait to try it.
Looks and sounds Yum. Thank you for sharing this healthy tasty dish.
That looks delicious. I love couscous, but I’ve never tried preparing it. I’m saving your recipe for later. Thanks!
I never had couscous salad before and I guess it is about time I tried it. Thanks for this recipe!
Your salad looks delicious and that vinaigrette sounds amazing. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors.
Your couscous dish looks so much better from what I have tried the other day. It turned out okay but it’s not something I would make again.
I’ve never eaten Couscous before but I’m so curious about the taste. That looks extremely yummy, you tempting me!
Wow, this is right on time. I have a box of couscous and I was going to look for a recipe to use it in because I’ve never prepared it and had no idea what to do with it. This salad looks delicious. Thanks!
Thanks Taylor!! I hope you enjoy it!!
salads really are just perfect for summer meals. Your salad looks amazing and perfect for my family likes. Will be trying it our soon
They really are and thank you for the kind words on my salad 🙂
I bought some chickpeas but had no clue what to do with them. I’m excited to try this recipe.
wow, that looks refreshing and what a comfort food. So light and healthy.
I certainly don’t eat couscous enough. I’ll definitely have to try this recipe sometime soon!
That looks so delicious! We love cauliflower. I would love to try this.
Looks Delicious and its is healthy my family would surely love this. thank you for sharing the recipe and the procedure.
This looks delicious and healthy! I have to try this over the weekend!
This looks fabulous. I haven’t ever had couscous before but this looks really good and like something the whole family would enjoy.
Thanks Jeanine!! We all sure did 🙂
I have never had Couscous before in my life. This looks pretty and I would certainly try it at least once.
Oh my – this looks fabulous! I can’t wait to add it on to our menu planner! Now if I could just figure out how to make shwarma….
Oh my goodness! That looks absolutely amazing! I would love to make that this weekend.
I have no pull with the weather. 😉 I do love the recipe though, that salad looks really good.
This is definitely a visually inviting dish, and a really nice way to turn cauliflower into something tasty to eat. I’d like to try it out.
I love salads but I haven’t had one in a long time. This is a great salad to start with. I love that it has chickepeas.