This hearty Mediterranean couscous salad is quick and easy to assemble with pantry staples like pearl couscous, canned artichoke hearts, feta, bell pepper, and cucumber. Poached shrimp bump up the protein and make this salad a meal-in-one!
This Salad Is Proof That Healthy Lunches Don’t Have to Be Bland or Boring
If there’s one type of lunch I never tire of, it’s a big Mediterranean-inspired salad that’s packed with fresh veggies, heart-healthy fats, and lean protein. This couscous salad checks all the boxes — tender poached shrimp, crunchy veggies, briny feta, and chewy pearl couscous get tossed in a bright and tangy lemon herb dressing.
Even better, it’s a flexible recipe that’s great for clearing out the fridge. No cucumbers? Toss in chopped romaine. Out of feta? A handful of olives works too. Short on shrimp? Add leftover salmon or chicken from last night’s dinner.
Mediterranean Diet-friendly and great for meal prep, this pearl couscous salad with shrimp and feta tastes good and is good for you.
Enjoy!
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Poached shrimp — You can also grill, pan fry, or bake your shrimp, but I prefer poaching mine for ease. The trick to keeping the shrimp super juicy is to transfer them to the fridge after draining to prevent the carry-over heat from overcooking them.
- Pearl couscous — AKA Israeli couscous. This variety of couscous has grains the size of peppercorns and cooks up soft and chewy.
- Veggies — A mixture of canned artichoke hearts (get the kind packed in water), diced cucumber, and chopped bell pepper add sweetness and crunch.
- Feta — For the best flavor and texture, I recommend buying a block of feta and crumbling it yourself. Pre-crumbled feta is often chalky, which I don’t love.
- Pistachios — Add texture and savory flavor. Try to get your hands on pre-shelled pistachios to save time in the kitchen.
- Lemon herb dressing — The dressing comes together in less than 5 minutes by whisking together freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, pressed garlic, and chopped herbs (I used dill and mint). To keep the dressing Mediterranean Diet-friendly, I swapped the mayo for Greek yogurt to make it super creamy.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Replace the poached shrimp with baked shrimp, grilled shrimp, grilled salmon, grilled chicken, or omit entirely to keep vegetarian
- Swap the pistachios with slivered or chopped almonds or toasted pine nuts
- Use Green Goddess dressing or Greek vinaigrette instead of the lemon herb dressing
- Replace the mint and dill with fresh parsley or basil
- Add Kalamata olives or capers
- Sub the raw bell pepper with roasted red peppers
How to Make Mediterranean Couscous Salad (+ Tips)
- Poach the shrimp. We’re using medium-sized shrimp in this salad, which only need to cook for 2 – 3 minutes maximum in gently simmering water. It’s easy to tell when shrimp are done because they turn pink and their tails curl inwards so they form a “C.”
- Cook the pearl couscous. Follow the package directions here. After cooking the couscous, I like to spread it out onto a large plate to help it cool faster and prevent it from clumping together.
- Make the dressing. Just whisk everything together, give it a taste, and season with extra salt and pepper as needed.
- Toss it all together. Wait to fold in the feta and chopped pistachios until the very end (they tend to sink to the bottom of the bowl otherwise).
Heidi’s Tip: You can serve your salad right away, but I think it tastes best after it’s sat in the fridge for an hour. This gives the couscous time to absorb the flavors of the dressing.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Shrimp and Feta
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- ½ lemon, halved
- 4-6 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound peeled and deveined 41/50 medium shrimp
For the Salad
- 1 cup uncooked pearl couscous
- 1 English cucumber, halved, then sliced
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts in water, drained and quartered (keeping the base intact)
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese, from a block
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
For the Dressing
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Poach the shrimp, peel, and chill. Combine 5 cups water and ½ lemon, 1 bay leaf, and 4-6 black peppercorns in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Add 1 pound peeled and deveined 41/50 medium shrimp, turn heat to low, and poach for 2-3 minutes, until they turn pink. Drain, discarding the lemon, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
- Cook the couscous and build the salad base. Prepare 1 cup uncooked pearl couscous according to package directions, then transfer to a plate, spread to cool, and fluff with a fork. Add the cooled couscous to a large bowl with the chilled shrimp, 1 English cucumber, ½ red bell pepper, and the drained and coarsely chopped 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts in water,.
- Mix the dressing and coat the salad. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, until smooth. Pour the dressing over the shrimp mixture and toss gently to coat.
- Fold in the feta and chill. Top the salad with ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese, and ¼ cup chopped pistachios. Chill for an hour before serving
Nutrition
What to Serve With the Shrimp Couscous Salad
This is essentially a meal-in-one, but you can stretch the recipe further by serving it with:
More Mediterranean Salads You’ll Love
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