This White Bean Couscous Salad is bright, light, and oh-so-satisfying. The hearty couscous and white beans, flavorful olives and vegan parmesan, along with the delicious dressing, make this salad the perfect lunch or light dinner. It also works as a great side dish to share!
Couscous salads have a special plate in my heart – they make life easier for me, and that’s always a major win in my book. Having a busy schedule, especially lately, I am always looking for quick, simple meals that taste great too. With the right dressing and flavorful additions, they are extremely yummy and satisfying, and they make great leftovers too. This White Bean Couscous Salad checks all the boxes!
What I Love About This White Bean Couscous Salad
There’s such a great roundup of ingredients in this recipe:
couscous
kalamata olives
vegan parmesan
fresh basil
cannellini beans
lemon juice and zest
great quality olive oil
garlic
zucchini
These ingredients combine so deliciously, and this recipe is also ready in 30 minutes. Most of my recipes are quick and simple (hence my cookbook, 15-Minute Vegan Meals), and the reason is easy. Many people don’t have the time, energy, or interest to cook more complex, time-consuming recipes.
Couscous is a fantastic option for quick meals because it cooks in a flash. It’s ready in less than the time it takes to cook many other pasta shapes. And with a short list of ingredients, this recipe doesn’t take much effort and prep to be ready and on the table.
A simple way to build flavor in a short amount of time is to use ingredients that pack a punch all on their own. We use several of these in the recipe, including: fresh basil, kalamata olives, lemon juice, and vegan parmesan.
Other Delicious Couscous (and Quinoa) Salad Recipes
Couscous with Peas, Mint, & Lemon-Herb Ricotta
Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad
Peach & Avocado Salad with Lentils & Quinoa
Quinoa Salad with Zucchini & Tomatoes
White Bean Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dry couscous
- 3 tbsp + 2 tsp Pompeian Organic Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 3 small zucchini
- Juice and zest of 1 ½ to 2 lemons to taste
- 1 large garlic clove grated or minced
- 3 tbsp fresh basil thinly sliced
- 2 cups cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
- ¼ cup shredded vegan parmesan
Instructions
- Bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Carefully add couscous, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, ¼ tsp kosher salt, and remove from heat. Stir, cover, let sit for 5 min. Fluff w/ fork, transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool somewhat.
- Meanwhile, cut ends off zucchini, slice lengthwise. Make crosswise cuts to create half-moon shapes ½ cm thick. Add 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When hot, add zucchini and ¼ tsp kosher salt. Toss, cook for 4 to 5 min, stirring periodically. Some browning is good. Transfer to mixing bowl to cool somewhat.
- To make dressing, add remaining 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to a small bowl w/ lemon juice, zest & garlic. Whisk together, stir in half the basil.
- Add cannellini beans, kalamata olives, & vegan parmesan to mixing bowl. Stir in desired amount of dressing and gently toss to combine. Serve while warm or room temperature. Sprinkle remaining fresh basil over top.