Spring Pea Mint Couscous Salad (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant salad with tender peas, couscous, fresh mint, and lemony olive oil dressing for spring gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 1/2 cups couscous
02 - 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Vegetables & Herbs

03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
04 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1/3 cup scallions, thinly sliced
07 - 1 small English cucumber, diced
08 - 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

09 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

15 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
16 - Extra mint leaves

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring the vegetable broth or water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, stir in couscous, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature.
02 - Blanch fresh peas in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Skip this step if using thawed frozen peas.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled couscous, peas, chopped mint leaves, parsley, scallions, diced cucumber, and radishes if using.
05 - Pour prepared dressing over mixture and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and extra mint leaves as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You can make it ahead and it somehow tastes even brighter the next day.
  • The zippy lemon dressing and pops of mint turn simple ingredients into something you'll crave.
02 -
  • I once tossed in hot couscous and ended up with a soggy salad—let it cool first.
  • Adding the mint only at the end keeps it bright and green, not lost in the mix.
03 -
  • Cool the couscous completely before combining or the herbs will wilt.
  • A swirl of really good olive oil just before serving elevates every bite.
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