Start the party with this festive pomegranate pearl couscous salad recipe brimming with fresh herbs, pistachios, and a zesty, oil-free lemon ginger dressing. Make this vibrant vegan salad in 30 minutes or less!
This is my favorite Christmas couscous salad because the color and fresh flavors make it a flavorful celebration of the season.
It's perfect with other holiday sides, like roasted sweet potato casserole with pecans, creamy baked pearl onions, or seasoned cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
Table of Contents
Recipe Highlights
- Quick-cooking pearl couscous can be made ahead and mixed with the dressing for salad assembly when you're ready.
- The dressing is a simple mix of lemon juice and ginger, made without added oil to highlight the fresh ingredients.
- We love Israeli couscous salad as a side dish for the holidays. But don’t stop there - add this to your list of summer salads. It's great any time of the year.
Recipe Ingredients
Pearl couscous. Also known as Israeli couscous or giant couscous, it's a type of pasta made from semolina flour. Whole wheat couscous made from whole durum wheat flour is also available. I've also used a batch of Instant Pot barley for this recipe. Quinoa is the best gluten-free substitute.
Pomegranate. I use 1 ½ cups of pomegranate seeds (1 large pomegranate). I urge you not to skip pomegranate, but dried cranberries can be used in a pinch.
Lemon juice. I prefer fresh lemon juice and sometimes add a little bit of lemon zest. Opt for bottled juice if necessary.
Ginger. Fresh grated or minced ginger tastes the best. Use ½ a teaspoon of ground ginger as an alternative.
Green onions. Use the white and green parts or finely mince half a red onion as a substitute.
Pistachios. Use unsalted pistachios. Use pumpkin seeds as a nut-free substitute.
Fresh herbs. Use generous portions of parsley and fresh mint. Add cilantro or baby spinach leaves for more variety.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
- If you want to add fresh veggies, small bell peppers, red or orange, or crisp cucumber are good options.
- Add white beans or chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for a main dish or light lunch.
- Regular couscous has the same nutty flavor. I love it for Moroccan couscous salad, but I haven't tried it with this recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the couscous while you prep the rest of the salad. Consult the package directions for the exact measurements of water. Cook until the water is absorbed.
- While the couscous cooks, prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix the lemon juice, ginger, and chili flakes. Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl and mix with half the dressing.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Garnish with extra pomegranate seeds and pistachios.
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Pro Tips
- Chewy pearl couscous should be tender but not mushy. Rinse the couscous with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- If you make this salad ahead, you may want to wait to add the pistachios so that they are at maximum crunch. Add more lemon juice to refresh the salad right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve at room temperature with everything from baked chickpea cutlets or crispy lemongrass tofu to easy vegan chickpea burgers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pomegranate molasses can be added to the dressing for a more intense flavor for any pomegranate couscous recipe.
Store salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Stir with a little lemon juice or a drop of pomegranate molasses to spruce it up.
Couscous is made from durum wheat flour and is not gluten-free. The best gluten-free substitute for couscous is quinoa.
More Festive Side Salads
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Festive Pomegranate Pearl Couscous Salad
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Ingredients
- 2 cups pearl couscous - about 16 ounces
- 3 cups water - check package directions
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large pomegranate - 1 ½ cups seeds
- 4 medium green onions - white and green parts chopped
- 2 cups flat-leaf parsley - roughly chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves - chopped
- ½ cup pistachios - unsalted
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons ginger - grated or finely minced
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- To cook the couscous, add 3 cups of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt to boiling. Add rinsed couscous, stir, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Consult the package instructions for specific water to couscous recommendations.
- While the couscous cooks, prep the rest of the ingredients. Mix the lemon juice, maple syrup, grated ginger, red chili flakes, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- When the couscous is done, promptly remove it from the pot and rinse it in cool water.
- Add the couscous to a large bowl and mix with half the dressing.
- Mix in the rest of the ingredients and dressing.
- Serve at room temperature or cover the bowl with cling film (plastic wrap) and store it in the refrigerator to serve it the next day.
Notes
- The dressing recipe has been updated as of December 2024. I cut the amount of lemon juice and added maple syrup.
- To make ahead, assemble the salad without pistachios. Cover and store in the fridge until the next day. Mix in the pistachios right before serving.
- Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Warm to room temperature and refresh by mixing a little lemon juice.
- If you want to add more pomegranate flavor, consider adding a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses to the dressing.
- Couscous is made from durum wheat. Use couscous as a gluten-free alternative.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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Megan
Delicious!!! Although next time I think I will use half the amount of lemon, but overall easy to make and tastes amazing!
Denise
So happy to hear you liked this salad. We love the flavor the pomegranate brings and like you, how easy it is to prepare. Thanks for your kind comments.
Becky
Fresh and delicious!! My family loved it! I agree with the previous comment about not needing a full cup of lemon juice. I ended up adding a bit of maple syrup to cut the taste. After trying a bit of the dressing with the couscous, I added some olive oil so that the dressing would coat everything better. I couldn't find any non-salted pistachios, so I ended up using salt & pepper flavored ones, and now I wouldn't make this without them. The salt and pepper picked up the lemon beautifully. Thanks for a great recipe that looked absolutely beautiful on the Christmas buffet!!
Denise Perrault
Thanks - glad you liked it. Based on comments, I'm going to rework the dressing a bit.
Susie
Love this recipe, but there is a much better way to deseed a pomegranate! See video below.
Watch "The Quickest Way to De-seed a Pomegranate (with a Spoon)" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/MkzUKBqJD0I
Denise
Thanks for the tip - that is a must-try. Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Pomegranate is the best in salads. 🙂
Shelley
Fantastic!
Denise Perrault
Yahoo! I'm so happy you enjoyed this salad. It's one of our favorites. 🙂