Super Easy, Leftover Couscous Salad Recipe

I first posted this easy salad recipe at the end of the summer almost five years ago. In Texas, the end of summer and early fall is still HOT!   It’s that time when you’re ready to start wearing boots and sweaters and eating soup and cornbread. But it’s way too hot to cook. This easy, leftover couscous salad is a good ‘transition meal’ for late summer/early fall. It’s pretty flexible, too!  Keep reading to see how I made it but remember that you don’t have to use the same ingredients. Feel free to switch it up to fit your family’s likes.

Our Couscous Salad Story

You know I don’t like ANYTHING going to waste around my house… craft supplies, clothes, etc. And that also includes food. I try to use up all my leftovers in one way or another. 

One night a few years back, I made “Chicken Enchilada Couscous”, a recipe I came up with that my family loves.  I usually cook the whole box of couscous when I make this so I’ll have some leftovers.

SIDE NOTE:  Many people think couscous is a grain, like rice.  But it’s actually more like a pasta. Tiny pieces of the cracked grains are rolled in flour to keep them separate.  Most couscous sold in the USA is pre-steamed and just requires boiling water to be added.  It’s ready in FIVE minutes!!!  It originated in Northern Africa and is usually served as a base for stews.

This recipe is actually a using-up-leftovers recipe for me, although you could cook the couscous specifically for this salad.

Couscous Salad Recipe

I start with the cold leftover couscous and add any/all of the following:

• chopped chicken or other meat
• chopped tomatoes
• chopped peppers (red, green, peperoncini, or roasted red)
• sliced olives
• artichoke hearts
• feta cheese
• dressing (for this I just used olive oil and lemon, sometimes I use Caesar or Italian dressing)
• salt & pepper

I hope this helps you think about ways to use up your leftovers AND gets you to try something new! Originally published September 17, 2014. 

‘Til the next meal,

 Ann @ Duct Tape and Denim

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