This Asparagus Couscous Salad made with pearl couscous, roasted asparagus, chickpeas and feta is the perfect side dish for summer picnics, parties, BBQs and meal prep! The lemon olive oil dressing adds a refreshing burst of flavor that makes it a definite crowd-pleaser! It can be made in less than 30 minutes! (Vegetarian)
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Easy Pearl Couscous Asparagus Salad
As the weather starts to get warmer, our family always craves refreshing salads, and this asparagus couscous salad recipe is a definite winner. The kids love it, too!
This salad is great as a tasty side dish, perfect for meal prep, and easy to turn into a full meal.
Loaded with roasted asparagus, chickpeas, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes and tossed in a vibrant lemony dressing, every bite is bursting with flavor. It’s so refreshing to enjoy throughout the spring and summer months!
If you love this salad recipe, be sure to try my Asparagus Tomato Salad and Chickpea Pesto Pasta Salad recipes too! For other Israeli couscous recipes, check out this Nourishing Chicken Soup.
Why We Love This Israeli Couscous Salad
- Make-ahead: This couscous salad is a great make ahead option if you’re planning to serve it as part of a larger meal. It’s also great for meal prep and travels well for picnics and pot lucks, since it tends to taste better the longer that it sits.
- Heart-healthy: The fiber from the chickpeas and asparagus and the healthy fats from the olive oil make this the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian salad option. You can make it completely plant-based by omitting the feta cheese and swapping the honey for maple syrup.
- Satisfying: This is a really hearty salad that’s full of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, which makes it super filling. Perfect as a simple side dish, but can also be served as a main dish, too.
Ingredient Notes
For the Pearl Couscous Salad
- Fresh Asparagus: Asparagus is a great source of vitamins A, C and K, and I love the fresh pop of color that it adds to this dish. I recommend using asparagus of a medium thickness. You could easily swap in other vegetables as well such as cucumber, artichoke hearts or zucchini.
- Israeli Couscous: I love the taste and texture of the larger pearl couscous since it resembles tiny pasta. You could also sub in regular couscous or quinoa if preferred.
- Broth: Cooking the couscous in the broth infuses some extra flavor into it. You can use chicken or vegetable broth in this recipe.
- Feta: This Greek cheese adds a great tangy flavor to each bite. You can use light or full-fat or sub in goat cheese to switch up the flavor profile.
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas are rich in fiber and protein and will help keep you feeling full and satisfied. I used no salt-added canned chickpeas for convenience, but you could also cook the chickpeas from scratch.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: These are optional, but I love the burst of flavor and the extra pop of colour they add to the salad. You could also sub in cherry tomatoes or roasted red peppers.
For the Lemon Dressing
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Use fresh rather than bottled lemon juice for the brightest flavor. Feel free to add the lemon zest, too!
- Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic for best results. You could also sub in garlic paste if in a pinch.
- Oil: I prefer using extra virgin olive oil in the dressing for the ultimate heart health benefits.
- Honey: For a little sweetness. Maple syrup can also be used.
- Salt & black pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Chop up the asparagus into one inch pieces, discarding the tough ends.
- Place asparagus pieces on a baking sheet and, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees F until tender but still crisp and slightly golden brown on the edges. The thicker the asparagus, the more time it will need.
- Add the couscous to a small sauce pan along with the broth and some olive oil. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat and allow it to simmer until cooked, about 8-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dressing in a small bowl or jar. This dressing recipe makes more than you’ll probably need.
- Grab a large bowl and toss together the cooked couscous, asparagus, feta, chickpeas and sun-dried tomatoes (if using).
- Pour in desired amount of dressing (I used about half).
Place in the fridge for at least half an hour to allow those flavors come together.
Expert Tips
- I recommend using asparagus that’s medium size in thickness. I find if it’s too thin, it almost gets too stringy and chewy when roasted.
- Cook the Israeli couscous in reduced sodium broth to infuse some extra flavor into it while it’s cooking. You can use vegetable or chicken broth — it’s totally up to you.
- Don’t skip the step where you add the olive oil to the couscous while it’s cooking. Israeli couscous tends to get fairly sticky once cooked so the addition of the olive oil can help prevent it from sticking together.
- Be sure to watch the couscous closely while it’s cooking. It tends to cook fairly fast (about 8-10 minutes), so you’ll want to make sure that you check it so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. It should have an al dente texture.
- The recipe for the lemon dressing makes more than you’ll probably need. I only used half of the dressing for one batch of this salad. When I make dressing, I always like to make extra because that way I can use it on other salads or make the same salad the next week as well! Saves the trouble of having the make the dressing again.
- I have discovered the best lemon juicer EVER. I love to make lemon-infused recipes so this thing is definitely coming in handy. Everyone NEEDS one of these juicers in their life!
How to Store
The beauty of this couscous salad is that it lasts in the fridge for a few days, which makes it great for meal prepping.
I recommend keeping it in the fridge covered in a bowl or airtight container for up to four days.
I actually find that it tastes better as the days go on because the couscous, chickpeas, and asparagus absorb all of those amazing flavors from the lemon dressing and feta.
Recipe FAQs
The amount of cooking time will depend on the thickness of the asparagus. The thicker the asparagus, the more time it will need. The asparagus should be slightly tender but still crisp.
Couscous is similar to pasta. It’s made from crushed durum wheat semolina, whereas pasta is made from ground wheat. Pasta and couscous have a similar nutritional value. It’s not technically a grain, but it’s made from them.
Both are made with the same ingredients, but couscous is much smaller with an irregular shape. Israeli couscous forms smooth round balls similar to the size of a peppercorn rather than flakes.
It has a soft and chewy texture and a slightly nutty flavor. It’s quite similar to barley with a neutral savory flavor that’s perfect to use as a base for salads or to incorporate into soups.
Serving Suggestions
This lemon asparagus couscous salad makes a great lunch or light meal, especially in the warm days of summer.
You can serve it along with:
- Mediterranean chicken kabobs
- Grilled BBQ chicken thighs
- Walnut crusted salmon
- Healthy fish sticks
- Zucchini turkey burgers
- Or on its own for a vegetarian option!
Recipe Variations
- To add more protein: Add sliced or diced grilled chicken breast.
- To make it vegan: Skip the feta cheese and sub in maple syrup for honey in the dressing
- Change the vegetables: Instead of the sun-dried tomatoes, you could use cherry tomatoes or roasted red pepper. You could also toss in extra vegetables like cucumbers, zucchini, green onions, etc.
- Use different grains: You could also try regular couscous, quinoa, farro, or rotini pasta instead of the Israeli couscous to switch it up.
- Add more mix-ins: The flavors in this couscous salad would pair wonderfully with more Greek and Italian ingredients, like diced red onion, pine nuts, kalamata olives, and more. You can also add some fresh herbs, like fresh parsley. There are lots of ways to make it your own!
More Delicious Side Dishes
- One Pan Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Avocado Chickpea Salad
- Cucumber Noodle Salad
- Greek Quinoa Salad
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Asparagus Couscous Salad with Feta and Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 lb asparagus chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup uncooked Israeli couscous
- 1 1/4 cup no salt added broth can use chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup cooked or canned no salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place asparagus on a baking sheet and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss asparagus until evenly coated. Roast asparagus for 10-15 minutes, until tender but still crisp. If it's extra thick, it may require more time.
- Meanwhile, place the couscous, broth and one tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until couscous is fluffy. It should have an "al dente" texture when done. Once cooked, fluff with fork and allow to cool.
- While the asparagus and couscous are cooking, mix all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl or jar.
- Add the cooked couscous, roasted asparagus, feta cheese, chickpeas, and sun-dried tomatoes (if using) to a large bowl. Add in desired amount of dressing (I only used half).
- Place in the fridge for at least half an hour to allow flavors to absorb.
Notes
- The nutritional information is based on using all of the dressing. If you choose to use less, the nutritional facts will be different.
- I recommend using asparagus that’s medium size in thickness. I find if it’s too thin, it almost gets too stringy and chewy when roasted.
- Cook the Israeli couscous in reduced sodium broth to infuse some extra flavour into it while it’s cooking. You can use vegetable or chicken broth — it’s totally up to you.
- Don’t skip the step where you add the olive oil to the couscous while it’s cooking. Israeli couscous tends to get fairly sticky once cooked so the addition of the olive oil can help prevent it from sticking together.
- Be sure to watch the couscous closely while it’s cooking. It tends to cook fairly fast (about 8-10 minutes), so you’ll want to make sure that you check it so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. It should have an al dente texture.
- The recipe for the lemon dressing makes more than you’ll probably need. I only used half of the dressing for one batch of this salad. When I make dressing, I always like to make extra because that way I can use it on other salads or make the same salad the next week as well! Saves the trouble of having the make the dressing again.
- I have discovered the best lemon juicer EVER. I love to make lemon-infused recipes so this thing is definitely coming in handy. Everyone NEEDS one of these juicers in their life!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in May 2019 and was updated to include better tips and photos in May 2024.
I couldn’t believe how delicious and flavorful this dish was! My family loved it as well.
So glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe! It’s always a favourite around our house as well :) Thanks for returning to leave a review!
Loved this recipe, thank you so much! Hubby and I had it on a bed of rocket. How big is the portion size @ 470 calories?
So happy you and your husband enjoyed the recipe! Love how you served it on rocket! The calorie count would be for about a 1 cup serving or 1/6th of the salad. That number was calculated based on using all of the dressing. I generally only use half the dressing on the salad, so in that case, the nutritional information would be different and the calorie count would be lower. It really depends on how much dressing you choose to use, so that nutritional information is only a rough estimate. Hope that helps!