Mediterranean Couscous With Hot Honey (Printable)
Fluffy couscous tossed with crunchy vegetables, feta, olives, and a spicy-sweet hot honey lemon vinaigrette.
# What You Need:
→ Couscous & Salad Base
01 - 1 cup couscous
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cucumber, diced
07 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
08 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
11 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (optional)
→ Hot Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
12 - 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tbsp hot honey (mix 1 tbsp honey with 1/2 tsp chili flakes; microwave 20 seconds, stir, and cool)
15 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 - In a heatproof bowl, combine couscous, salt, and olive oil. Pour boiling water over the couscous, cover tightly with a lid or plate, and let steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled couscous, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, pitted and halved Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and mint if using. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, hot honey, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic until fully emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
04 - Pour the vinaigrette over the assembled salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That vinaigrette hits three notes at once: tangy, sweet, and warmly spicy, and it clings to every grain of couscous like it was always meant to be there.
- It comes together in about thirty minutes with zero cooking beyond boiling water, which means your kitchen stays cool and you get to look like you tried much harder than you did.
02 -
- If you dress the salad and then leave it in the fridge overnight, the cucumber will weep and the couscous will absorb all the vinaigrette, leaving you with a drier, denser dish the next day.
- Making the hot honey fresh right before whisking the dressing gives a brighter chili heat than store bought versions that have been sitting on a shelf.
03 -
- Taste your olives before you add them, because some brands are drastically saltier than others and that will change how much salt the dressing needs.
- If you want the hot honey flavor but less sweetness, cut the honey to half a tablespoon and add an extra squeeze of lemon to keep the balance sharp.