Mediterranean Couscous Hot Honey (Printable)
Fluffy couscous tossed with fresh vegetables and a sweet-spicy hot honey lemon vinaigrette.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Couscous & Vegetables
01 - 1 cup uncooked couscous
02 - 1¼ cups boiling water
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - ½ cup cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
08 - ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped (optional)
→ Hot Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon honey
14 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Place couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the couscous, cover tightly, and let steep for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified and smooth.
03 - To the bowl of cooled couscous, add the halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, sliced Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and mint if using. Fold together gently.
04 - Pour the hot honey lemon vinaigrette over the couscous mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 10 minutes for a refreshing chilled salad. Garnish with additional fresh herbs or extra crumbled feta if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The hot honey vinaigrette is that perfect sweet heat situation that makes people ask what is in this dressing when they take their first bite.
- It scales up effortlessly for potlucks and tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours.
02 -
- If you dress the salad while the couscous is still hot, the feta will melt into a strange texture, so let it cool to at least warm before combining.
- The vinaigrette will thicken and settle in the fridge, so always give it a quick stir or shake before pouring over leftovers.
03 -
- Toast the dry couscous in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding boiling water and you will get a nuttier, richer flavor with zero extra effort.
- Double the vinaigrette recipe and keep the extra in a jar in the fridge for up to a week because it is excellent on roasted vegetables, grain bowls, and basically anything else.