Low Sodium Couscous Salad Recipe

Home » Salad Recipes » Low Sodium Couscous Salad Recipe

Share!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see our Privacy Policy for more information.

Jump to Recipe

This 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.

low sodium couscous salad recipe with tomatoes, arugula, and corn.

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

pearl couscous in a pot cooking with water and no salt added.

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.

a bowl of salt-free couscous with fresh tomatoes, arugula, corn, chickpeas, and tomatoes.

Step 2: Once the couscous has cooled, add the arugula, cherry tomatoes, parsley, bell pepper, chickpeas, corn and green onions to the bowl.

a salt-free lemon dressing for vinaigrette salad.

Step 3: In a small mixing bowl, add the dressing ingredients together and whisk well to combine.

no salt added dressing poured over salad for a low sodium summer salad recipe.

Step 4: Drizzle the dressing over the top and gently toss until everything is well combined and coated.

a spoon stirring salt-free salad recipes with vegetables.

Step 5: With a large spoon, mix the salad well to combine. Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes if desired.

Recipe FAQs

How much sodium is in this couscous salad?

This salad has XX mg sodium per serving, as it uses low sodium ingredients and a homemade salt-free salad dressing.

How to make this salad ahead of time

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.

Are there substitutes for couscous?

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.

bowls of couscous salad with arugula and fresh vegetables for low sodium potluck salad ideas.

More Refreshing Low Sodium Salads

Let’s keep in touch – don’t forget to follow over on Instagram, Facebook, & my Youtube channel for more easy low sodium recipes.

If you made this recipe please leave a star rating & comment below. Your feedback helps other people who are making this recipe.

low sodium dinners cookbook low salt cookbook ideas for dinners side dishes and salads

Our FIRST Low Sodium Cookbook is now available!

Check out Low Sodium Dinners: 100+ Low Sodium Recipes That Actually Taste Good, available here:

low sodium couscous salad recipe with tomatoes, arugula, and corn.

Low Sodium Couscous Salad

AuthorKelly Jensen
This low sodium couscous salad is a light, refreshing, and delicious salad with pearl couscous, fresh vegetables, and quick salt-free lemon vinaigrette dressing! A delicious no-salt-added side dish or appetizer.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 2-cup servings
Calories 428 kcal

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

Serving Size
This recipe makes about ~6 2-cup servings, the nutritional information above is for 1 serving, or 2 cups. Your nutritional information may vary based on the ingredients you use in your kitchen.
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.

Nutrition estimate (for 1 serving)

Calories: 428kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 12gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 19mgPotassium: 493mgFiber: 9gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1501IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 3mg

*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.

Make This Recipe?Let us know how it was! Please comment and leave a review, your feedback helps others.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please note I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases from affiliate programs, at no additional cost to you. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

Share!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.