Name: Israeli Couscous Salad with Beet and Feta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 large red beets; 1 Tbsp olive oil (15 mL); 2 cups water (440 mL); 1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous (250 g); 1 tsp lemon juice (5 mL); ¼ tsp each salt and pepper; 1/2 cup cubed feta (50 g)

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With over a dozen 5-star reviews, you can be sure this Israeli couscous salad with beet and feta will be a real crowd-pleaser. With gorgeous magenta beet and cubes of feta, it’s such a tasty and colorful side dish that it may as well just be the main course.

Bright pink Israeli couscous with beets and lemon

We all need a back-pocket side dish that we can whip up when dinner becomes an afterthought. And when that side dish looks (and tastes!) as fun and festive as this Israeli couscous salad, no one will guess how easy it was to make.

The beets are roasted to bring out their natural sweetness and the feta cheese is tossed with a bit of lemon juice for tang. The entire salad is ready in just 30 minutes and it makes the perfect dinner party side, quick lunch, or potluck staple!

Reader rating

★★★★★

“Love this recipe! I add a tablespoon of lemon juice because we like it lemony!” —Phyllis

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With gorgeous magenta beet and cubes of feta, this Israeli Couscous Salad is the side dish so beautiful, it may as well just be the main course!

Here’s what you’ll need

Israeli Couscous: Otherwise known as pearl couscous. You can substitute it with quinoa, bulgur, or wild rice!
Roasted Red Beets: Roasting in olive oil brings out the natural sweetness and releases some juices, which is important for that bright pink couscous (double win: red vegetables are packed with vitamins!).
Lemon Juice: The acid in the lemon juice reacts with the beets to make the color even more vibrant. Because this recipe has such few ingredients, try to use fresh lemons for the best taste possible.
Seasoning: All the other ingredients add loads of flavor, so for spices, we just need a bit of salt and pepper.
Feta Cheese is my favorite pairing with beets. You could substitute soft goat cheese (or even ricotta if you prefer a milder cheese).

What is Israeli couscous?

We’re making this couscous salad with a particularly fun variety of couscous. It’s called “pearl” or “Israeli” couscous, defined by its larger size and slightly chewy texture. It’s made from semolina or wheat flour, making for a slightly neutral taste (a bit like pasta) until you flavor it up with sauce or other ingredients.

making this salad is so easy

Get that oven preheated because this recipe goes quickly!

Roast the beets: Peel and dice the beets, toss them in oil, and then roast them in the oven until tender.
Cook the couscous: While the beets roast, cool the couscous to al dente (about 10 minutes) in a pot of boiling water.
Toss it all together: Mix the hot beets in with the cooked couscous, along with any beet juice in the pan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stirring to spread the bright pink juices of the beets onto the couscous. Toss with feta cheese and serve (warm or chilled).

salad additions

This salad is delicious with a variety of other mix-ins. Here are a few favorites (also a great way to use up what’s in your fridge or pantry):

Orange slices like blood oranges double down on the citrus notes.
Slivered almonds provide crunch and are easy to toss in before serving.
Mixed greens like arugula can be a base for this salad to make it stretch further.

More Salads You’ll Love

Classic Tabbouleh Salad

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Zesty Kale And Quinoa Salad

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Roasted Beet and Radish Salad

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