In need of a quick and healthy side dish? This Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Beet is fun and delicious, while also being easy to whip up!
Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Beet
When it comes to food this time of year, there’s something I crave even more than cookies or cakes or big feasts….easy food. There’s something about the holidays that seem to create an ever long to-do list, meaning we call for takeout far more than I care to admit. But when your side dish is as festive and easy to make as this Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Beet, home cooked food starts looking a lot more doable!
We’re making this couscous salad with a particularly fun variety of couscous. It’s called “pearl” or “Israeli” couscous, defined by its larger size and slightly chewy texture. It’s made from semolina or wheat flour, making for a slightly bland taste (a bit like pasta) until you flavor it up with sauce or other ingredients. And when you mix it with roasted beets, it becomes a bright pink color that instantly brightens up the dinner table!
We’ll throw in a touch of lemon juice and feta cheese to offset the distinct beet flavor, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve!
To make this Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Beet you’ll need:
- 1 1/2 cups pearl couscous
- 3 red beets
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup cubed feta
Kitchen tools you may find useful:
- Medium pot
- Baking sheet
- Cutting board
- Large serving bowl
Beets are a versatile vegetable, throw them in a smoothie for a nutrient-packed breakfast or snack like our delicious Strawberry Beet Smoothie, or include them in a pasta salad and bring them to a potluck, try our Mediterranean Pasta Salad for example!
Ingredients
- 3 red beets
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups pearl couscous
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt and pepper 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup feta cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and dice beets, then spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, tossing to evenly coat, then roast for 30 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a medium pot and add couscous. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until couscous is “al dente” and water is absorbed.
- When beets are hot out of the oven, mix them in with the cooked couscous, cubed feta, along with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stirring to spread the bright pink juices of the beets onto the couscous.
