Couscous, Chickpea & Feta Salad
Prep time: 15 minutes / Cooking time: 5 minutes + 30 minutes cooling down.
Serves 4 to 6
Lovely salad to prepare ahead and keep in the fridge. Ideal for packed lunches & a perfect side for barbecues during the summer months. It can as well be served as a main meal because it has everything: carbs, veggies and protein. Feta is a fresh, white, salty, crumbly Greek cheese; the perfect addition to many salads, due to its salty flavour little goes a long way.
INGREDIENTS:
350g couscous
1tbsp oil
500ml boiling water
1 red onion, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 cucumber, deseeded & diced
250g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
400g tin of chickpeas, drained
200g feta cheese, cut into small cubes
Salt & pepper to taste
For the dressing:
Juice of 1 large lemon
3tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
For the dressing:
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
METHOD:
1. Add couscous to a large bowl, season with salt & pepper and add 1tbsp of oil. Mix well using a fork. Pour boiling water on top, give it a good stir with a fork and leave it to rest for 5 minutes (the couscous should have absorbed all the water by then).
1. While you are waiting on the couscous make the dressing: add oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic & seasoning to a small glass jar. Put the lid on the jar and then shake the jar to mix all the ingredients. Voila, dressing is done!
2. Once the couscous has absorbed all the water, fluff it up with a fork (mix it with a fork until the grains are no longer stuck together). Add the dressing and mix well again. (It is important to add the dressing to the couscous while warm so that it will absorb all the flavours). Then keep it aside to cool down.
3. While the couscous is cooling down you have plenty of time to prepare all the veggies for the salad. Make sure to wash & dry them before you start cutting them. Ideally, you want them all the same size, small bite-size pieces.
4. Once the couscous is cold, add the diced red onion, yellow pepper, cucumber, half tomatoes & drained chickpeas. Mix well so that they are evenly distributed through the couscous.
5. Finally add the cubed pieces of feta cheese and gently fold through the couscous so they do not break up.
6. If using, garnish with some chopped parsley & serve.
TIPS:
✓ You can use vegetable stock for the couscous instead of boiling water for added flavour.
✓ Use whatever vegetables your family prefers, just make sure to choose a nice variety so that the salad looks colourful.
✓ You could add a chopped red chilli if you like a bit of extra heat.
✓ If I am preparing it ahead, I like to keep the feta separate and only add it to the salad before serving it. That way the couscous will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in a lidded container.
✓ You can make this recipe vegan by omitting the feta cheese, and add an extra tin of chickpeas instead – chickpeas are a great source of protein.
