I love pasta salad. My Maa made a ton of it when I was little. It’s really easy to make and back in the 90’s when salad dressing mixes in the packet were popular, it was a really easy solution for a busy mom of 3. You can make it ahead of time, store it in the fridge and its perfect for the summertime.

My love for pasta salad hasn’t changed, but my tastebuds have [slightly] elevated. So I created a “pasta salad” but with pearl couscous. Here’s why: pearl couscous cooks fast – like under 10 minutes fast; it’s really fun to eat and easier to eat than rotini (in my opinion) because it can be eaten with a spoon; it’s underutilized – and if you know me by now, I absolutely despise trends; it can be considered healthier since it’s made with whole wheat flour and not refined flour (like a lot of mainstream boxed pastas).

So now…you’re gonna drop that pasta salad REAL fast once you see how easy this Springy Green Couscous Salad is to make (no offense pasta, I still love you!). And I love the Middle Eastern flair it has – fresh crunchy French beans, abundance of fresh mint, fresh coriander and a hint of sweetness from dates and of course a bright green color. This is perfect for picnics, BBQs and anything else that requires no heat dishes! Give this a try now that the temps are heat in’ up!

Substitutions: you can sub in pomegranate molasses or maple syrup for date paste; you can sub orzo pasta for pearl couscous; you can omit almonds for allergens.

Spring Green Couscous Salad:
(serves 2-4)

• 1/2 cup diced French beans
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup pearl couscous
• 1 tsp olive oil

Date Dressing:

• 1 tbsp date paste from Dafero Dates (women, Immigrant owned!)
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 1 garlic clove grated
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• big punch kosher salt
• fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Garnish:

• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1-2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds
• handful fresh mint leaves
• handful fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. French Beans: Blanch beans for 5 mins until nail tender (that’s right, NAIL tender, not fork tender). Immediately immerse into a bowl of ice water. And if you don’t have ice (like in my case), use an ice pack!
2. Pearl Couscous: Bring water to boil in a medium pot, add in 1 tsp oil and couscous once the water is boiling. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir. Simmer for 8 minutes or so, stirring occassionally until cooked and fluffy. Remove from heat.
3. Dressing: Mix together all ingredients for dressing until smooth. Add in hot couscous & beans. Mix well, wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 mins.
4. Finishing Touches: Remove stir in all garnishing. Serve!