This easy and quick vegan pearl couscous salad with a lemon vinaigrette is perfect for vegan lunches, picnics, potlucks, travel, or as a simple side to your favorite plant-based meals. And it's ready in under 30 minutes.
Looking for more pasta salads? Try Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad, Cranberry Orange Pearl Couscous Salad, or Vegan Orzo Pasta Salad.
As a food blogger, my kitchen turns into a test lab, crafting the same recipe repeatedly for photos, videos, and endless tweaking. So every time I make a recipe to the brink of madness, I swear it off like a bad habit - vowing we're done, finished, never to reunite… at least until next time.
But this recipe? It's the clingy ex I can't shake off. Much like Instant Pot Vegetable Pearl Couscous, there's something about the fresh veggies arm-in-arm with the nutty, chewy couscous.
In this recipe, they're all dressed up in a light lemony vinaigrette and keep sliding into my DMs with a "Hey, want more?" And honestly? I'm not playing hard to get. I'm all in, folks - fork first, ready for another bite anytime.
Jump to:
Why I Love This Bowl
- it's delicious
- utterly satisfying
- freshly fantastic
- light grab-and-go meal
- delicious warm, cold, or room temp
- great for packed lunches, picnics, potlucks, traveling, or meal prepping
Ingredients
This salad hits the spot with a perfect 50/50 split between couscous and veggies. Feel free to tweak the ratios and a veggie or two to suit your taste.
Here are pictures of what you'll need for the recipe. See the recipe card for quantities.
Here are the ingredients for the couscous salad bowl.
Here are the ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette. This makes a lot of vinaigrette, but you'll use it all for this large couscous salad bowl.
- Scallions, aka green onions - Use both the light and green parts.
- Spinach/arugula spring mix - Lettuce varieties, like butter lettuce, romaine, and red leaf, are tender and also perfect for this vegan couscous bowl.
- Butter beans - White beans such as cannellini or navy beans also work.
- Beets - Beets are harvested from June to October, but you'll find them in grocery stores year-round because they store well. Canned or vacuum-packed cooked beets are like hitting an easy button. It's a quick fix that cuts down on mess and fuss, leaving you more time for, you know, not cooking or peeling beets.
- Asparagus - Pick the skinniest asparagus bunch for vegan salads and grain bowls; they cook quicker and are tastier.
- Peas - Use frozen or canned if you can't find fresh.
- A handful of fresh mint for topping gives it a refreshing touch.
What Is Pearl Couscous?
Short answer: Pearl couscous are pea-sized, round, pearl-shaped pasta balls.
Longer answer: Pearl and Israeli couscous are basically the same, but pearl couscous is slightly bigger. Also known as Mograbia or maftoul, this toasted wheat flour pasta goes by many names.
People use the terms interchangeably, and whether you grab pearl, Israeli, or Lebanese couscous, it’s all good! We are looking for chubby couscous.
Fun fact: Israeli couscous was created in the 1950s when rice was scarce, and Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion came up with this tasty rice substitute that has now evolved into the pearl-shaped form we love today.
Variations
- If you want more plant-based protein, toss in Roasted Chickpea Croutons, Baked Pesto Tofu, or Baked Tempeh Bacon.
- If you don't like one of the listed veggies, swap it out or substitute it for other delicious vegetables.
- Pair your vegan couscous bowl with a side of warm, crusty bread.
- Add some raisins or dried cranberries for a savory-sweet combo.
- Optional toppings: crumbled Vegan Feta or avocado
How To Make Vegan Pearl Couscous Salad
Here's a glance at what you'll be doing. See the recipe card for the details.
Step 1: Kick things off with the couscous - get it going on the stove while you wash and cut the veggies.
Step 2: Boil salt water, then dunk asparagus and peas for a quick 2-3 minute brightening session. Drain and let cool or put them in ice water to stop the cooking if you want.
Step 3: Toss the dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl and whisk well. Taste and tweak.
Step 4: Throw all the ingredients into a big bowl. Splash on the dressing, then toss. Spread the couscous salad into bowls. Top with cracked pepper, mint, lemon zest, and whatever extras you fancy.
Top Tips
- You can always use water for the couscous, but the veggie broth takes up the flavor a notch.
- The only thing that takes a little time, maybe 10 minutes, is washing and cutting the veggies. Do this while the couscous cooks, and your meal can be ready in less than 20 minutes.
- This recipe is tagged for 8 big servings. However, as a potluck side or with extras like roasted veggies or tofu, it can probably serve 12-15.
- Freshness matters. Choose veggies that still think they're in the garden and olive oil that thinks it's liquid gold for that lemon vinaigrette. Using extra-virgin olive oil makes a big flavor difference.
- The beets give the couscous a pink hue. If you're not into the pink vibe for your potluck or dinner, just top the salad with beets before serving and mix them in when it's serving time.
Storage
Let the couscous cool down to keep your Couscous Salad Bowl tasting fresh and to reduce the clumps that can happen with couscous.
Once it's cool, place it in an airtight container. If you prefer your salad crisp, you could hold off on adding the dressing and lettuce until you're about to eat.
I want to add that packing a vegan couscous salad for road trips is great. Like this Vegan Orzo Pasta Salad With Sunflower Seed Pesto and Vegan Cobb Salad, it dodges fast food pitfalls and saves your wallet. Seal it in containers, chill, and you're set. Sure, your car might get a little pink couscous balls makeover, but that's just a snack scavenger hunt for your dog.
Recipe FAQS
Swap traditional couscous for a gluten-free grain like quinoa or millet. The texture will be different but equally delicious.
For a lower-fat option, reduce the olive oil and substitute part of it with water or a bit more lemon juice. You can also experiment with adding herbs and spices to maintain flavor.
Yes, while lemon juice gives a fresh and zesty flavor, experimenting with different types of vinegar can introduce new taste profiles. Apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar can be delightful alternatives.
Have a minute? Dive into the comments and rate this Vegan Couscous Salad to let me know how it turned out for you. Was it a hit? Did you add any twists? I want to know if my directions were any good. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Vegan Pearl Couscous Salad
Ingredients
For the Bowl:
- 2 cups pearl couscous
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces (~300 grams)
- 1 cup peas use frozen or canned if fresh aren't available
- 6 radishes thinly sliced
- 4 green onions white and green parts sliced
- 2 cups spinach/arugula spring mix or use lettuce varieties like butter lettuce, romaine, and red leaf
- 2 16 ounce cans butter beans or any white bean
- 1 cup beets chopped (120 grams)
- ¼ cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
- 1 handful fresh mint chopped
- freshly cracked pepper
- optional toppings: crumbled vegan feta and avocado
For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 2 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme; optional
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the Couscous: Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the pearl couscous, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until al dente. Fluff with a fork and let it cool slightly.
- Blanch the Vegetables*: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and peas, and blanch for 2-3 minutes until bright green but crisp. Place the veggies in an ice-cold batch of water to stop the cooking fast if you want.
- Make the Dressing: Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Assemble the Bowl: In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients. Drizzle with the lemon herb dressing and gently toss to combine.
- Serve: Divide the mixture among bowls. Top with mint and cracked pepper or your choice of optional toppings.
Louise says
This is such a colourful and hearty salad! The Lemon Vinaigrette dressing is so good I could nearly eat it by the spoonful!
Regi Pearce says
Thanks Louise for your wonderful comment. It made my day!