Southwest Couscous Salad - Savory Tooth (2024)

Updated Apr 28, 2021Published Apr 26, 2017 By Julia 33 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links.

Summary:

Full of delicious flavors and textures, this colorful Southwest Couscous Salad is perfect for summertime. It's a simple vegan recipe with only two steps — microwaving couscous and tossing all ingredients together — and is suitable for meal prep or parties.

Couscous Salad

4.9 from 13 votes

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Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

▢ 15-ounce can black beans, drained
▢ 15-ounce can corn, drained
▢ 1 orange bell pepper, diced
▢ 3 roma tomatoes, diced
▢ 5 scallions, finely sliced
▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne (Note 1)
▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 1/2 teaspoon table salt
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (Note 2)
▢ 1/4 cup olive oil

For Cooking Couscous:

▢ 1 cup couscous (Note 3)
▢ 1 cup vegetable broth or water
▢ 1/2 teaspoon table salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook Couscous (Note 4): Stir together couscous, vegetable broth, and salt in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Alternatively, cook couscous according to package instructions. Fluff cooked couscous with fork; set aside to cool a bit.
Combine Salad: Add all ingredients, including cooked couscous, to large mixing bowl. Stir all ingredients together until well-mixed. Serve (Note 5).

NUTRITION

Makes 6 Servings

Amount Per Serving:

Calories 350 (28% from fat)
Total Fat 11g	17%
Saturated Fat 2g	8%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 810mg	34%
Net Carb 41g
Total Carb 54.5g	18%
Dietary Fiber 13.5g	55%
Sugars 7.5g
Protein 12g

Vitamin A 20% · Vitamin C 54% · Calcium 8% · Iron 15%

PHOTOS

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Cayenne. Don’t worry about the inclusion of cayenne if you’re averse to spicy foods; it’s noticeable but barely there, and you won’t break a sweat.

(2) Lemon Juice. About 1 lemon, juiced.

(3) Couscous. I use whole durum wheat couscous by Trader Joe’s.

(4) Cooking Couscous. There are a number of ways you can cook couscous. You can cook it on stovetop in a saucepan by letting couscous sit in boiling water for about 5 minutes, or you can microwave for a few minutes. I typically opt for the latter method by microwaving with a pinch of salt and vegetable broth. Follow the recommended times on the package for your particular type of couscous. After cooking, fluff the couscous using a fork to prevent it from sticking together.

(5) Serving. If making ahead of time or if you have leftovers, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Just prior to serving, stir it up a bit, possibly tossing with extra olive oil if the couscous looks like it’s sticking together. Enjoy this salad as a light lunch or dinner, or as a side dish to accompany mains like pan-seared swordfish or salmon. Generally, couscous can be used to replace the role of rice or pasta in most dishes.

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About Julia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia is a recipe developer and the founder of Savory Tooth, and lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Since 2015, she has been sharing simple recipes for tasty dishes in a user-friendly format. She typically prefers savory foods over sweet, hence the name of the site. Contact her at julia@savorytooth.null.com.

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Linda

I have made this twice now in the same month, this time for a potluck, and I LOVE IT!!! I’ve added about 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro (because I love the stuff) and I will make this over and over again this summer. It’s cool and yummy! Thanks so much!!

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5 years ago

A Gossack

Loved this recipe. I used a can of rotel for the tomatoes and peppers, added mixed veggies in place of the corn, a dash of cumin and lime juice. Hubby says this is a keeper. Served with fresh rainbow trout.

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5 years ago

J Drake Portillo-Swails

This recipe went over super well! I needed to make up a vegan dish that could be enjoyed by all, and this exceeded all expectations. Making it again for my spouse’s office party right now! We use cilantro too!

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6 years ago

Drake

I made this for a get together (that is later today) and I doubled the recipe and added cilantro and used lime in place of lemon. It turned out great! Definitely adding this to my permanent recipe book.