Couscous Salad with Pesto, Goat Cheese, and Veggies

This recipe is quick and easy, and so downright delicious that it is absurd. Pearl Couscous is cooked to perfection, and then dressed with store-bought pesto, and topped with thinly sliced sugar snap peas, quartered cherry tomatoes, and goat cheese. The sugar snap peas add the most satisfying crispness to this recipe, and pesto, goat cheese, and tomatoes compliment each other perfectly. This Couscous Salad with Pesto, Goat Cheese, and Veggies is a summertime side dish that is fresh and creative, and perhaps more fun than the classic potato or pasta salad.

Pearl Couscous is larger than traditional couscous. It is closer to the size of a pea. I think that the size and texture are really satisfying. It's very similar to al dente pasta, and like pasta it is also made from wheat.

The recipe is below, but feel free to adjust the proportions to make it your own. You can serve this couscous salad warm or cold (Charles eats it cold and I eat it warm), and you can certainly make it a day ahead. If you want to switch things up a little, you could add crispy bacon, pine nuts, or corn to this salad. Or add a chicken breast (or some diced rotisserie chicken) on top and serve it as dinner.

Do you have any recipes that you are particularly proud of?! Midwest Living Magazine is hosting a holiday recipe contest! There are six different recipe categories - and each winner will receive $500 for holiday food shopping! Visit midwestliving.com/madeinthemidwest to get more information and enter!

Couscous Salad with Pesto, Goat Cheese, and Veggies

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups Pearl Couscous
• 4 cups Water
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 7 ounces Pesto
• 1 ½ cups quartered Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups Sugar Snap Peas cut into long thin strips
• ½ cup Goat Cheese

Instructions

• Start off by preparing the couscous. Combine the pearl couscous, water, olive oil, and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is al dente.
• Next stir in the pesto and the peas. The couscous will absorb some of the pesto, while also slightly cooking the peas.
• Lastly, add the tomatoes and goat cheese, stir to combine. You can serve this warm or chill it and serve it later.