Spring Pea & Feta Couscous Salad with Basil Vinaigrette!

Fresh and vibrant!

This has become my go-to spring salad because a.) the crazy amount of texture in this salad is to die for, b.) it’s bursting at the seams with health benefits (fiber! vitamin C! antioxidants!), and c.) it’s really, really pretty.

If you’re seeking an easy weeknight meal, doing any casual entertaining or attending a spring potluck/picnic in the near future, I recommend taking this recipe for a spin.

It’s a crowd-pleaser.

Spring Pea and Feta Couscous Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Couscous Salad:

• ½ cup uncooked couscous (not pearl couscous)
• 1  cup vegetable broth
• 16 ounces (about 3 cups) frozen peas
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese (or goat cheese)
• 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup chopped and toasted walnuts (or pecans)

Basil Vinaigrette

• 1 cup packed basil leaves
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper

1. COUSCOUS: In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the couscous, cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with fork.
2. PEAS: While the couscous is cooking, heat a large pot of water to boil. Add peas to the boiling water and blanch for 1-2 minutes or until bright green. Drain before adding to salad.
3. COMBINE: In a serving bowl, combine the fluffed couscous, peas, parsley, feta, chickpeas and walnuts.
4. BASIL VINAIGRETTE: Combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a blender or food processor, using a big pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as desired. Add additional honey if you want your dressing to be sweet (1 tablespoon was enough for me)
5. ASSEMBLY: If you want to serve this salad warm, dress immediately with the desired amount of dressing and serve. To serve cold, refrigerate the dressing and the salad ingredients separately for at least 1-2 hours. Toss half the dressing with the salad and adjust with additional dressing, salt, and pepper to taste. Enjoy!