Turkish Couscous Salad with Orange and Olives Recipe
This is a colorful salad where fine couscous is combined with sweet orange, salty olives, and fresh herbs. In Turkey, such salads often appear for lunch or as a side to grilled dishes, especially in the warmer months. The flavor is a bit reminiscent of Moroccan couscous salads, but it is lighter and more citrusy.
This salad combines the lightness of fine couscous with juicy orange and salty olives, creating a refreshing, Mediterranean-style dish that works both as a main and as a side. The citrusy dressing with orange zest and honey gives it a bright, sunny flavor that stands out from classic grain salads.
Chef's tips
Make sure the couscous is completely cooled before adding the vegetables and herbs, so they stay crisp and fresh. Don’t skip the orange zest in the dressing – it really boosts the aroma. If your oranges are very sweet, you can reduce or omit the honey and balance the flavor with a bit more lemon juice.
How to serve
Serve slightly chilled, on a large platter, garnished with extra parsley or chives. It pairs well with grilled chicken skewers, baked fish, or as part of a mezze spread with hummus, baba ganoush, and flatbread. For a more filling meal, you can add crumbled feta or grilled halloumi on top.
Ingredients
- fine couscous - 200 g
- water boiling - 220 ml
- orange juicy - 2 pieces
- black olives pitted, sliced - 60 g
- cucumber fresh, diced - 0.5 pieces
- red bell pepper finely diced - 0.5 pieces
- chives chopped - 2 tablespoons
- flat-leaf parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- honey - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Pour the couscous into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and cover with boiling water. Cover with a plate or foil and set aside for 10 minutes, until it absorbs the water and softens.
- After 10 minutes, uncover the couscous and separate the grains with a fork, stirring and fluffing so there are no lumps. Set aside to cool completely.
- Finely grate the zest from one orange (only the orange part), then peel both oranges, removing the peel and white pith. Cut the flesh into cubes, trying to collect any juice that runs out.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, grated orange zest, a pinch of salt, and pepper until you get a dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled couscous, chopped orange with its juice, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, chives, and parsley. Pour over the dressing and gently mix.
- Taste the salad and, if needed, season with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Serve immediately or after chilling in the fridge.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku; przed podaniem wymieszaj ponownie, bo sos może opaść na dno.
