This Lemony Couscous Salad with Capers and Tinned Fish is a delicious salad that’s filling enough to be a main dish! Full of fresh ingredients and easy to customize, you’re going to want to make it over and over again.
To say I’m excited to share this Lemony Couscous Salad is an understatement. I’ve been on such a kick with the tinned fish lately! It’s shown up in recent recipes like my Panzanella Salad with Crispy Capers and canned salmon is my go-to for this meal prep-friendly Salmon Salad.
Canned and tinned fish offers so many benefits. It’s convenient to cook with, shelf-stable, and very nourishing. You can learn more about the heart-healthy fats in tinned fish in this post all about omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids.
As a registered dietitian, I could go on and on about the health benefits of fish and seafood. But I’m also here for the flavor. And now I get to introduce you to my newest creation featuring fish!
This hearty couscous salad has it all. Fresh greens, fluffy couscous, a tangy (and so, so easy) DIY dressing…and your choice of tinned fish for enough protein to make it feel like a meal! It’s perfect for whenever you’re craving a fresh, leafy salad but need some substance to fill you up. To me, that’s the epitome of #SaladsThatDontSuck!
Lemony Couscous Salad Ingredients
- Pearled couscous, plus water and a pinch of salt to cook it
- Fresh arugula
- Fresh parsley
- Red onion
- Capers, drained and rinsed. Look for these near the olives in your grocery store.
- Tinned fish of your choice, but I recommend salmon, mackerel, or smoked trout
- Canned chickpeas
- Red pepper flakes
For the Lemony Vinaigrette Dressing, you will need:
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice and lemon zest
- Apple cider vinegar. You can also use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar, but avoid balsamic or aged vinegars which can overpower the citrus flavor from the fresh lemon juice.
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Garlic, salt, and cracked black pepper
Street Smart Nutrition Tip: Technically, this type of giant couscous is not the same as the traditional couscous that originated in North Africa. Pearled couscous is more like pasta, with a larger shape compared to the very small granules of regular couscous. You can also use this version, but you’ll need to follow the package instructions for the correct ratio of water to uncooked couscous.
Swaps and Substitutions
Some recipes should be followed exactly. But the good news is that this isn’t one of them! There are plenty of ways to customize this Lemony Couscous Salad recipe. Try these options:
- Swap the pearled couscous for other types of couscous for a different texture. You can also use a small pasta shape like orzo, or switch to an entirely different grain like farro, freekeh, or barley.
- Use a different type of white bean instead of chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans), such as cannellini beans, butter beans, or Great Northern beans. Or, if you’re not a fan, leave them out altogether.
- Add extra veggies like cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red bell peppers, or green onions.
- Boost the flavor with kalamata olives, green olives, fresh mint or other fresh herbs, or a sprinkle of feta cheese over the top.
- For a more flavorful salad, you can also cook the couscous in low-sodium vegetable broth instead of water.
And I’ll let you in on a little secret…when I was testing this couscous salad recipe I had every intention of adding pine nuts. But I love them. Like, so much. So I used them all in a totally different recipe and munched my way through the rest so they never made it into this one 🙂
Needless to say, I can only imagine they’d be delicious. You can also try sliced or slivered almonds or chopped walnuts or pecans if you want to add a little extra crunch.
How to Make Lemony Couscous Salad
This flavorful dish comes together in no time! Follow these simple steps to make this easy couscous salad recipe:
- Boil a small pot of water over high heat. Add a pinch of salt (optional) and add the couscous. Cook according to package directions, or about 15 minutes.
- Drain off any excess water and rinse under cool running water to bring the cooked couscous down to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, mix all the dressing ingredients together and set aside. At this time, chop the parsley and red onions
- Drain the chickpeas and capers. Drain your tinned fish and gently flake it into small pieces or chunks.
- To assemble, add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl and drizzle about 2/3 of the dressing over the top. Use salad tongs to toss and mix everything together.
Once you serve it up, you can top with any remaining dressing (optional) or extra parsley, lemon zest, or red pepper flakes.
Grab a fork and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this Lemony Couscous Salad as a main course. But it also makes a great side dish.
To me, it feels like a nice summer salad that feels refreshing but filling. Depending on your personal nutrition needs, you can add an extra source of protein or carbs to make it fully satisfying.
And if you happen to have leftovers, just store them in an airtight container and stash them in the fridge. You can eat it chilled the next day, but try to eat within 1-2 days for best quality. Otherwise, the dressing can cause the other ingredients to get too soggy.
Lemony Couscous Salad with Capers and Tinned Fish
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearled couscous
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 pinch salt
- 5 oz arugula
- 1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, diced, about 3/4 cup
- 1/4 cup capers
- 8 oz drained tinned fish, 2-3 tins depending on brand
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
Lemony Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Boil the water over high heat. Add a pinch of salt (optional) and add the couscous. Cook according to package directions, or about 15 minutes.
- Once cooked, drain any excess water using a colander. Rinse under cool running water to bring the cooked couscous down to room tempterature.
- As the couscous cooks, prepare the dressing by adding all ingredients to small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake to combine, then set aside.
- Chop the parsley and red onions. Drain the chickpeas and capers. Drain the tinned fish and gently flake it into small pieces or chunks.
- To build the salad, add all ingredients to a large bowl. Pour in about 2/3 of the prepared dressing, then use salad tongs to toss and mix until everything is well combined.
- To serve, transfer the couscous salad to serving plates or bowl. Add any remaining dressing if you prefer. Top with extra parsley, lemon zest, or red pepper flakes (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy this Lemony Couscous Salad. Be sure to check out some other popular salad recipes, like my Summer Split Pea Salad or Quinoa Black Bean Salad.
And as always, thanks for stopping by the Street Smart Nutrition blog! For more of the same, follow along on Pinterest or sign up for my newsletter to get my latest recipes.
Cheers to more fearlessly nourishing meals!
Questions & Reviews
Great salad! Love the parsley in this plus the couscous 🙂
This is my kind of recipe. I always have a few varieties of canned fish. Couscous is a great ingredient to work with. Perfect side, or even main dish for dinner.
This will be the people to fix when I want a quick lunch and I don’t want a lot of calories. Great to even fix ahead of time.
This is a fantastic fullfilling way to recharge on vitamins! I love everything in there, especially the capers!
I love this kind of couscous salad which is filling and delicious. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!
This is exactly the type of lunch I love to prepare during the warm spring and summer months. I always have a tins of tuna in the pantry. I especially like the addition of couscous and the light vinaigrette dressing.
I made this salad for a girl luncheon today and everyone went crazy over it. They especially liked the couscous included in the salad and the light vinaigrette dressing. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Mmm, I LOVE these Mediterranean ingredients. They feel like home, and although I use them regularly, never in a setting like this one. So thanks for another great meal idea and recipe to incorporate my fave ingredients into. Love the capers!
I adore arugula with couscous in a salad. I think this would also make a great wrap.