Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Alternatively, you can pan-sear them in a hot skillet for 4-5 minutes per side. Once cooked, let the salmon cool slightly, then flake it into bite-sized pieces.
- While the salmon is cooking, prepare your couscous according to package directions. For pearl couscous, this usually involves boiling water or vegetable broth, adding the couscous, simmering until tender, then draining. For instant couscous, you'll typically bring water or broth to a boil, stir in the couscous, cover, remove from heat, and let it sit for about 5 minutes until plump, then fluff with a fork. Once cooked, transfer the couscous to a large bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- While the salmon and couscous cool, get all your fresh ingredients ready. Dice the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and bell pepper into small, manageable pieces. Roughly chop your fresh parsley and mint. Crumble the feta cheese, and slice your Kalamata olives.
- In a small bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, a pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- To the large bowl with the cooled couscous, add the flaked salmon, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, sliced olives, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and mint.
- Pour the prepared lemon-herb vinaigrette over all the ingredients in the bowl. Gently toss everything together until all the ingredients are well combined and coated with the dressing. Be careful not to break up the salmon pieces too much.
- You can serve the Mediterranean Salmon Couscous Salad immediately at room temperature, or for a more refreshing experience, cover it and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Nutrition
Notes
Salmon Doneness: I always check my salmon at the 12-minute mark because ovens vary so much.
You want it to just flake apart with a fork, but still be moist and tender.
Overcooked salmon turns dry and crumbly, so keep a close eye on it.
Couscous Texture: For pearl couscous, I recommend toasting it in a dry pan for a minute or two before boiling.
This gives it a lovely nutty flavor that really complements the salmon.
Just stir it constantly so it doesn't burn.
Make Ahead Magic: This salad is a dream to make ahead of time.
I often prepare everything up to the point of adding the dressing, then store the salad and dressing separately in the fridge.
When I'm ready to serve, I just toss them together.
The flavors meld beautifully after a few hours.
Dressing First: A common mistake is to overdress the salad.
I start by adding about three-quarters of the vinaigrette, toss gently, then taste.
You can always add more, but you can't take it out.
The couscous will absorb some dressing as it sits, so a little extra is fine if you're serving it later.
Ingredient Swap: If I don't have fresh mint, I'll use a teaspoon of dried mint instead, or simply double the parsley.
The mint adds a fresh, cool note, but the salad is still delicious without it.
Serving Suggestion: I love serving this salad on a big platter with a few lemon wedges on the side.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before eating brightens everything up and makes the flavors pop.
Storage Tip: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
If the couscous seems a bit dry the next day, I just drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice over it and toss gently to refresh it.