Basil Couscous Salad

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This Basil Couscous Salad with a simple homemade dressing is perfect for baby showers, family get-togethers, potlucks and parties, or almost any occasion. The flavors and textures are perfectly balanced and it is super easy to throw together and double when you need to feed a crowd. Pair it with some grilled chicken or tri tip and dinner is served!

Prep Time30

Chilling Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Salad

1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pearl couscous
1 large head Romaine lettuce (about 12-15 cups chopped or 2 medium heads)
2 cups fresh white or yellow corn cooked and cut off the cob (see note)
1 cup craisins
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pepitas

Dressing

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
3-4 green onions roughly chopped
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring the water, olive oil, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the pearl couscous, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender, then drain any excess liquid and set aside.
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup pearl couscous
Remove from heat and break up the couscous so it isn't too clumped together, then cool completely before using in the salad. This can be done a day or two ahead.
Wash, dry, and chop the lettuce. I like to run mine through a salad spinner. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
1 large head Romaine lettuce
Cook the corn using your favorite method (I usually grill mine), then let it cool and cut it off the cob. If using frozen corn, there is no need to cook it or thaw it first. You can just add it straight from the freezer to the salad.
2 cups fresh white or yellow corn
Combine the basil leaves, mayonnaise, green onions, buttermilk, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper in a blender. Blend well until smooth, then refrigerate until ready to use.
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, 1 cup mayonnaise, 3-4 green onions, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, Salt & pepper
To assemble, add the lettuce, craisins, parmesan cheese, pepitas, cooled couscous, and corn to a large salad bowl. Drizzle with about half of the dressing and toss. I usually like to reserve a handful of the craisins, parmesan pepitas, couscous and corn for sprinkling over the top of the salad after tossing to showcase what is in it. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
1 cup craisins, 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup pepitas

Notes

Substitutions and Variations: This salad is also great with cucumbers and tomatoes. You can also add a protein like grilled or rotisserie chicken.
Make-Ahead: You can make the dressing and salad components 1-2 days ahead, then combine and toss shortly before serving. I don't recommend tossing the salad with the dressing any sooner than 1-2 hours before serving as the lettuce tends to get soggy after a while.
Storage: Like most salads, this one doesn't keep well once everything has been combined. Instead, store the components separately until ready to combine and serve.
Corn: If fresh corn isn't available, you can use frozen corn kernels. There is no need to thaw them first or cook them. Just throw them in the salad frozen and by the time you are ready to serve they should be perfect.
This recipe is on page 128 of my cookbook, House of Nash Eats Everyday!

Nutrition

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