Low Sodium Couscous Salad Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis low sodium couscous salad is a light, refreshing, and delicious salad with pearl couscous, fresh vegetables, and quick salt-free lemon vinaigrette dressing! A fantastic side dish or appetizer to bring to parties, potlucks, or a BBQ.
This flavorful and elegant salad has wonderful colors and textures – from the soft pearl couscous, to the peppery arugula, to the sweet juicy tomatoes. There is wonderful freshness and crunch in each bite!
Want more flavorful low sodium salads? Try our low sodium burrata salad, low sodium chicken Caesar pasta salad, and our favorite low sodium potato salad.
I asked everyone in our Facebook group The Low Sodium Scoop what they would like to see more of, and the answer was more low sodium salads! This delicious couscous salad is loaded with fresh vegetables, tender cooked couscous, juicy tomatoes, and salt-free dressing that you make in minutes.
If you’re not familiar with couscous, it’s a wonderful sodium-free food made out of flour, like small balls of pasta. There are a few different types of couscous, I like pearl couscous (or Israeli couscous) which is lightly toasted, and has a wonderful nutty flavor.
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s light, refreshing, citrusy, and delicious.
- This easy-to-make salad is ready in about 30 minutes.
- Great to meal prep or make ahead.
- An easy and impressive side salad for entertaining.
- Anyone can successfully make this dish by following our step-by-step photos and instructions below.
Ingredients You’ll Need
See the recipe card below for a full list of instructions and ingredient amounts!
I used pearl couscous or Israeli couscous for this salad. You could use regular couscous if you like, but I found the texture of larger pearl couscous better. Start by boiling the couscous in a little water, then fluffing with a fork and cooling before adding to the salad.
I like adding no-salt-added chickpeas for added protein and fiber. They give the salad a great texture as well.
Load in the vegetables to this salad: cherry tomatoes, arugula, corn, bell pepper, and fresh parsley, and green onions all add wonderful flavor and crunch to this salad.
The 5-minute lemon vinaigrette dressing is vibrant and delicious. Made with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, basil leaves, garlic, white wine vinegar, and pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
You can add many more wonderful vegetables if you prefer: chopped cucumber, roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini or squash.
If you don’t want to use arugula, you can substitute with baby spinach or mixed greens.
How To Make This Salad
Step 1: In a pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the pearl couscous, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the couscous is tender and the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside in a large bowl to cool.
Step 2: Once the couscous has cooled, add the arugula, cherry tomatoes, parsley, bell pepper, chickpeas, corn and green onions to the bowl.
Step 3: In a small mixing bowl, add the dressing ingredients together and whisk well to combine.
Step 4: Drizzle the dressing over the top and gently toss until everything is well combined and coated.
Step 5: With a large spoon, mix the salad well to combine. Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes if desired.
Recipe FAQs
This salad has ~20 mg sodium per serving, as it uses low sodium ingredients and a homemade salt-free salad dressing.
This couscous salad holds up in the fridge for up to 2 days before serving. If you’re making it ahead, add the arugula right before serving to keep them fresh and vibrant. And make sure to give the salad a good toss before serving.
Yes, you can substitute the couscous with orzo, quinoa, or a small pasta shape like ditalini, macaroni, or mini stars. Just follow the cooking instructions on the package for those swaps and add them in the salad after cooling.
Expert Tips
When chopping the tomatoes and vegetables, make them roughly the same size. You want the pieces small enough to be bite-sized and consistent throughout the salad.
Fresh garlic in the dressing makes all the difference – use fresh whole cloves of garlic if you can (instead of jarred minced garlic).
Season to taste. Everyone’s preferences for seasoning may vary. Before fully digging in, taste the salad and add a bit more lemon, pepper, or fresh herbs if desired.
More Refreshing Low Sodium Salads
- Low Sodium Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Low Sodium Mozzarella Cheese and Tomato Caprese Salad
- The Best Low Sodium Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
- Low Sodium Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Low Sodium Orzo Pasta Salad
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Low Sodium Couscous Salad
Equipment
- large pot
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 cups dried pearl couscous
- 2 cups water
- 1 14-ounce can No-Salt-Added Chickpeas
- 3 cups baby arugula
- ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 4 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 bell pepper chopped, any color (I used green)
- 1 cup corn
- 2 green onions chopped, about 1/4 cup
For the Pesto Dressing
- 2 lemons juiced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the pearl couscous, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the couscous is tender and the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside in a large bowl to cool.
- Once the couscous has cooled, add the arugula, cherry tomatoes, parsley, bell pepper, chickpeas, corn and green onions to the bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the dressing ingredients together and whisk well to combine.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top and gently toss until everything is well combined and coated.
- With a large spoon, mix the salad well to combine. Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes if desired.
Notes
Nutrition estimate (for 1 serving)
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used in our kitchen. It will vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify your nutrition content and sodium amounts.
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I’ve loved making this low sodium salad for you – if you make it, please let us know how it turned out!
This is one delicious tasty dish with a great combination of flavors I love