Welcome to the second instalment of my best salad recipes series! Iโm bringing it back to old school today with a classic lemon vinaigrette and couscous salad. I think this is an easy and versatile recipe that every person should know.
Lemon Vinaigrette and Couscous Salad Variations
If you know how to make a lemon vinaigrette dressing, youโll open the door to making endless variations by just substituting the lemon juice for other acids or kinds of vinegar.
You can also add other flavourings like onion, shallots, or garlic before incorporating your olive oil. You can also substitute your olive oil for walnut oil (or any different kind of oil, for that matter). But, again, this is just a great base recipe that you can use to run wild with your imagination โ just keep the proportions relatively the same and adjust to your tastes!
The whisking process is the important part to remember. A good, stable vinaigrette should stay together. If your vinaigrette separates after itโs made, it wasnโt done right. Itโs essential that your dressing stays together because youโll want your dish to have a consistent taste in every bite. Who wants one bite of olive oil drowned greens and another with lemon juice?
Since the whisking process is so important, hereโs a video tutorial on how itโs done. Enjoy!
Lemon Vinaigrette Couscous Salad (Fresh & Ready in 20 Min)
Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Cutting board
- Chefโs Knife
Ingredients
For The Dressing
- ยผ cup fresh lemon juice 60ml, about 2 lemons
- ยฝ cup extra virgin olive oil 120ml
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ยผ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ยผ teaspoon black pepper to taste
For The Couscous
- 1 cup dry whole-wheat couscous 175g
- ยฝ cup cherry tomatoes 75g, halved
- ยฝ cup red bell pepper 75g, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil roughly chopped, or use all parsley
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks of black pepper until combined. If adding extras like 1 minced garlic clove or 1 tablespoon finely diced shallot, whisk them in now.1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Add 2 teaspoons of the olive oil to the lemon mixture and whisk vigorously until fully combined. Add another 2 teaspoons and whisk again. This gradual start helps the emulsion form properly so the dressing wonโt separate.1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- While whisking constantly, pour the remaining olive oil in a slow, thin stream until fully incorporated. The vinaigrette should look creamy and slightly thickened. Give it another 10-15 seconds of whisking to ensure a stable emulsion.1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Cook the couscous according to package directions (typically: bring 1 cup water and a pinch of salt to a boil, stir in couscous, cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork). Allow to cool for 5 minutes.1 cup dry whole-wheat couscous
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled couscous, tomatoes, red bell pepper, and fresh herbs. Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the top and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.1 cup dry whole-wheat couscous, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 tablespoons fresh basil