Name: White Bean & Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup dry couscous; 1/2 cup water; 1/4 cup vegetable broth; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp butter; 1 cup parsley (finely chopped); 2 roma tomatoes (diced); 1/4 red onion (diced); 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles; 15 oz can white beans (drained); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1 tsp kosher salt

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Do you need an easy refreshing side for tonight’s dinner? Or maybe an easy make-ahead lunch? I’ve got you covered with this simple White Bean & Couscous Tabbouleh Salad.

Fresh vegetables, creamy white beans, tangy feta cheese crumbles, and soft garlic couscous all come together to make a cooling, feel-good dish.

So what is tabbouleh? Tabbouleh is an Mediterranean salad generally made with tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, mint and bulgur wheat.

For my version, I’ve replaced the bulgur wheat with couscous, a fine grained pasta made of semolina. I personally like the texture better but it’s totally up to your preference. I’ve also added creamy white beans. They’re refreshing and add a nice texture contrast.

Servings– about 4 cups
Total Time– 15 minutes hands on time + 1 hour chill time

Tabbouleh Salad Ingredients:

Dry Couscous– couscous is a fine grained pasta made of semolina. It cooks quickly and has a lusciously soft texture. This will be the base of your salad.
Water & Vegetable Broth– to cook your couscous. I like using a blend of both, because a splash of vegetable broth adds flavor without being over powering. You can adjust the ratio according to taste.
Minced Garlic– of course!
Butter– salted or unsalted
Fresh Vegetables & Herbs– finely chopped parsley, diced roma tomatoes, and diced red onion.
Feta Cheese– feta cheese is perfectly salty and tangy, pairing perfectly with the fresh vegetables.
Canned White Beans– drained and rinsed.
Marinade– extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and kosher salt.

Can I Use Dried White Beans?

Yes! However, note that using dried beans will greatly increase your cooking and hands on time. If you would like to use dried beans, soak them the night before.

Place dried beans in a bowl, cover them with water, and pop them in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before cooking. This reduces the cooking time and makes them easier to digest.

Once ready to cook, drain and rinse beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add beans, and boil until desired tenderness is reach (generally about an hour).

Equipment Needed:

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How to Make Tabbouleh Salad:

Make Couscous–
- in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic to saucepan and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add water and vegetable broth to pan and bring to a boil. If you would like a more flavorful couscous, you can adjust the water/broth ratio according to taste.
- Add dry couscous, cover with a lid, and remove from heat. Allow to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes then fluff with fork. Transfer couscous to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Make Vegetable Mixture & Marinade– in a mixing bowl, combine chopped parsley, diced tomato, diced onion, drained white beans, and feta cheese crumbles. In a separate small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Pour marinade over vegetables, mix well, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Mix & Serve– After vegetables and couscous have chilled, mix together and serve.

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Grilled Sweet Pepper Panzanella with Whipped Feta– Have you tried Panzanella? It’s Italy’s genius way of using up stale bread, essentially a bread salad. For my version, I switched the usual tomatoes for herby marinated grilled sweet peppers and paired it with a salted honey whipped feta.