A perfect summer salad recipe should look and taste like a rainbow. From juicy tomatoes and crisp greens to fresh peas and sweet pineapple, this salad ticks all the colorful boxes.
Pearl, or Israeli, couscous, is a thicker, and sometimes chewier “pearled” version of regular couscous. It’s one of the staples for this summer salad. There’s also red quinoa, which is often called a grain, but it’s actually a protein-packed seed. Both add some heft to this salad and are worth keeping in your pantry. Once you see how easy it is to incorporate them into your cooking, you’ll use them to bulk up grain salads and other recipes with little effort.
Like similar pasta salads, this nourishing summer salad is perfect as a stand-alone lunch or dinner, and it makes a great side dish.
Ingredients for Summer Salad
- Pearl couscous: This slippery miniature pasta (sometimes called “Israeli couscous”) is wheat-based, like Italian pasta, and has a signature round shape—just like pearls! It’s larger than the other couscous type you might be more familiar with.
- Red quinoa: Despite being cooked like a grain, quinoa is actually a seed, and belongs to the plant family that includes chard, beets and spinach. Quinoa comes in a variety of colors (including white, red and black). The white quinoa is the most popular since it has the fluffiest texture and mildest flavor. Red quinoa has a nuttier flavor and crunchier texture, which adds a lot of interest to this salad. But if all you have is white quinoa, go ahead and use it.
- Bell peppers: Strips of bell pepper mingle with loads of garlic as they roast in the oven, creating a sweet-savory element for the salad.
- Tomatoes: You can use any types of tomatoes for this salad, be it heirloom, vine or grape tomatoes. Choose heirloom if they’re available; they’re the juiciest and most flavorful.
- Arugula: This peppery, frilly salad green complements the sweeter flavors in this salad. If you can’t find it, feel free to substitute with baby spinach.
- Pineapple: Fresh pineapple adds a fruity sweetness to the salad (here’s a helpful pineapple cutting hack). In a pinch you can use canned pineapple chunks, but make sure they’re packed in their own juices (no added sugar), and drain them before adding to the salad. You can even use frozen pineapple chunks. Just thaw them before adding to the salad.
- Feta cheese: Its salty bite contrasts the sweetness of the fruit. If you have a choice between block and crumbled feta, buy the block and crumble it with your fingers. It’ll be fresher and creamier than pre-crumbled cheese.
- Sunflower kernels: Sunflower kernels add crunch and healthy fats to this summer salad. You can also use pumpkin seeds, or chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds.
- Balsamic vinegar: This grape-based vinegar makes the foundation of the dressing for this salad. Note that this calls for regular vinegar, not balsamic glaze which is a more concentrated version of the vinegar that is thick, viscous and very sweet.
Directions
Step 1: Roast the bell peppers
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss together the garlic, sweet peppers, oil, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake until the peppers are dark golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Step 2: Cook the couscous and quinoa
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the water, oil and salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous and quinoa. Reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for five minutes.
Editor’s Tip: If you like your peas a little more tender, you can add them to the couscous mixture in this step to cook and soften a bit.
Step 3: Assemble the salad
Transfer the couscous and quinoa to the bowl with the roasted pepper mixture. Stir in the tomatoes, arugula, pineapple, peas, feta, sunflower kernels and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Pour over salad, and gently toss to coat.
Summer Salad Variations
- Swap in jarred red peppers: Don’t feel like turning on the oven in the summer? Substitute with jarred roasted red peppers instead. Use pre-sliced jarred peppers or whole peppers, and slice them yourself. Either way, be sure to drain them really well before adding to the salad.
- Use whole grains: To use even more wholesome grains, swap out the couscous for farro or even brown rice. (You’ll need to adjust the cook time and temp according to the grains you sub in.)
- Add more protein: For a heartier meal, toss in cubed grilled or roasted chicken, or canned (or cooked homemade) kidney beans or chickpeas.
- Experiment with other fruits: If you don’t love pineapple, substitute with fresh peaches or nectarines.
- Make it vegan: If you want to veganize this salad, swap the feta cheese out for kalamata olives (they add a similar salty brininess), and use maple syrup instead of honey. Here are the best olives according to our Test Kitchen pros.
Can you make summer salad ahead of time?
You can prep parts of the summer salad, like the peppers, couscous, quinoa and dressing, up to two days in advance. Store these components separately in covered containers in the fridge. Combine with the rest of the ingredients when it’s time to assemble the salad.
How to Store Summer Salad
Transfer leftover summer salad to an airtight container, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Summer Salad Recipe Tips
What do you serve summer salad with?
This colorful couscous salad is a great picnic side dish for other summer favorites, like any of our favorite grilled fish recipes or barbecued chicken recipes.
How do you serve summer salad?
If you have time, it’s a good idea to let this salad marinate for about an hour before serving to let all the flavors meld together. You can serve the salad chilled or at room temperature.
