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Overhead shot of pearl couscous salad with roasted asparagus and chickpeas
Course Salad, Side Dish

Asparagus Couscous Salad with Feta and Chickpeas

By: Elysia Cartlidge
Servings 6 servings
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)
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

For the salad:

  • 1 lb asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup uncooked Israeli couscous
  • 1 1/4 cup reduced sodium broth (can use chicken or vegetable broth)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 15 ounce can no salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

For the Lemon Dressing

  • Juice of one medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

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 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. Therefore, the nutritional information is based on using half the dressing. If you choose to use more, the nutritional facts will be slightly 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 flavor into it while it's cooking. You can use vegetable or chicken broth.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 16gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 495mgPotassium: 582mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 640IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 4mg
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