Herbed Couscous and Tofu Salad ~
Couscous gets cooked on the stovetop then tossed with garden fresh herbs, veggies, and light lemon dressing.
Serve this Mediterranean-style fare as a quick and easy entree salad or side dish!
Although it looks like a grain, couscous is pasta made from wheat or barley.
Couscous is such a wonderfully versatile ingredient too. Along with other kinds of pasta and grains like rice and quinoa, couscous is a pantry staple in our house.
I’m a big fan of couscous. I like that it’s so easy to cook on its own as a simple and healthy side dish.
Or, as with this Herbed Couscous & Tofu Salad, you can toss it with whatever fresh herbs or veggies you have on hand for a light main course.
Herbed Couscous and Tofu Salad Ingredients
You will need:
For the Couscous:
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt + additional, to taste
For the tofu:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 12 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Seasonings and Veggies:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 cup English cucumber, quartered
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
For the Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- juice of 2 lemons
Optional Mix-Ins
For a deeper Mediterranean flair, try adding one (or all!) of these flavorful ingredients:
- kalamata or castelvetrano olives
- roasted or fresh red pepper
- crumbled vegan feta cheese
How to Make This Herbed Couscous & Tofu Salad
STEP ONE: In a medium-size saucepan bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add the couscous and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir once around the pan then cover and remove from heat. Allow the couscous to steam for 5 minutes then remove cover and fluff with a fork.
STEP TWO: Brown the tofu in two batches: Into a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, add 1/2 of the cubed tofu in an even layer. Cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan to move the tofu around and turning to get a light brown crust on all sides. Set aside and repeat with the remaining tofu, adding an additional 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, if needed.
STEP THREE: In a small bowl, whisk together the mint, basil, parsley, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
STEP FOUR: In a large salad bowl, mix together the couscous, tofu, tomatoes, and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing, stirring to combine.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.
Quick Tip for Success
Take the couscous off the heat!
In Step 1, the couscous starts out on the stovetop but that is strictly for the purpose of bringing the water to its boiling point.
Once the couscous is added to the hot water, it is essential to take the pan off the heat source.
Failure to do this can result in the couscous sticking together and we don’t want that; we want light and fluffy!
How to Serve Herbed Couscous and Tofu Salad
This versatile dish can be served as an entree salad. Or omit the tofu and serve the herbed couscous as a side dish with Fried Green Tomatoes, Twice-Baked BBQ Tofu, or BBQ Cauliflower.
Storage
Herbed Couscous & Tofu Salad should be kept cool but not frozen.
This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, making it great for meal prep!
More Healthy Recipes
Roasted Sweet Potato, Black Bean, & Lime Rice Bowls
Green Chile Rice & Black Bean Soup
Enjoy!
Herbed Couscous and Tofu Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 12 ounces extra-firm tofu drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 1 cup English cucumber quartered
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 2 lemons juiced
Instructions
- In a medium-size saucepan bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add the couscous and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir once around the pan then cover and remove from heat. Allow the couscous to steam for 5 minutes then remove cover and fluff with a fork.
- Brown the tofu in two batches: Into a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, add 1/2 of the cubed tofu in an even layer. Cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan to move the tofu around and turning to get a light brown crust on all sides. Set aside and repeat with the remaining tofu, adding an additional 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, if needed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mint, basil, parsley, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a large salad bowl, mix together the couscous, tofu, tomatoes, and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing, stirring to combine.
- Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.
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