Couscous Salad With Lemon Lime And Cilantro Dressing

A large white plate filled with couscous salad mixed with green herbs, chopped cucumber, and feta cheese, served with gold utensils. Text overlay reads: “Couscous Salad with Cilantro Dressing Erren’s Kitchen.”. - 3

A spoonful of couscous salad with avocado, red onion, and cilantro hovers above a plate of the same salad. Text reads: “Couscous Salad with Cilantro Dressing - Erren’s Kitchen.”. - 5

Close-up of a fresh Couscous Salad mixed with diced avocado, chopped red onions, herbs, and green vegetables, all tossed in a zesty Lemon Lime Dressing for a vibrant and colorful dish. - 6

A close-up of a fork holding a bite of couscous salad with green herbs, red onion, and avocado, tossed in zesty Lemon Lime Dressing, with a blurred bowl of the same salad in the background. - 7

A large white plate filled with a green couscous salad, garnished with chopped herbs and vegetables, topped with a zesty lemon lime dressing. A gold fork and spoon are placed on top. - 8

A large white plate holds a green, finely chopped Couscous Salad with vegetables and grains. Two serving utensils, one gold and one white, rest on the plate. The background is a marble surface with part of a white cloth visible. - 10

Whip up this vibrant Couscous Salad in just 25 minutes! It’s fresh, zesty, and bursting with flavor—perfect for any meal or occasion!

in this article:

Know Before You Scroll
Testing & Perfecting Couscous Salad
Ingredient Notes
Step By Step Instructions
Perfect Pairings
Couscous Salad with Lemon Lime and Cilantro Dressing
Erren’s Top Tips
Storage & Freezing Instructions
FAQs

Know Before You Scroll

Flavor Profile

Bright, zesty, herby, and creamy all at once. This salad brings big flavor with lemon-lime tang, fresh herbs, a cool cucumber crunch, and rich feta-avocado creaminess.

Difficulty Level

Easy. If you can boil water and blend a dressing, you’re golden.

What You’ll Need

Baby spinach or arugula, fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, mint leaves, garlic, lime, lemon, Dijon mustard, feta cheese, Greek or plain yogurt, kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil, couscous, water, fine salt, English cucumber, avocado, red onion.

Equipment Needed

Small saucepan, mixing bowls, knife, cutting board, citrus zester, blender or food processor, fork for fluffing

Top Tip

Toss your avocado with lemon juice right after dicing—this keeps it from turning brown and mushy.

Time-Saving Tips

Use store-bought pre-chopped herbs or a salad greens blend that includes spinach and arugula to cut down on prep.

Ingredient Swaps

No couscous? Try quinoa or orzo. No yogurt? Sour cream or even mayo can step in for the dressing. No feta? Goat cheese or queso fresco work great too.

Testing & Perfecting Couscous Salad

When I first started playing around with this couscous salad, I had one goal: I wanted something super fresh, herb-packed, and just a little creamy—but not too heavy. I tested a few dressings along the way (some with just olive oil and citrus, some with tahini, even one with a vinaigrette-style yogurt blend), but nothing hit quite right until I landed on this dreamy lemon-lime and cilantro situation. The combo of feta and Greek yogurt gave it a light creaminess without overpowering all those gorgeous herbs, and the zingy citrus just made everything pop. I also messed around with different grains—quinoa, bulgur, even orzo—but couscous was the clear winner for its light, fluffy texture that soaks up all that bold, herby flavor. After a few rounds of testing and tweaking, this final version felt like the perfect harmony of bright, creamy, crunchy, and fresh.

Ingredient Notes

Couscous

Best Choice

Traditional white or whole wheat instant couscous is fluffy and fast—ready in 5–10 minutes.

Substitutions

Try quinoa, bulgur, or cooked orzo for a different grain base.

Where to Find

Grain or pasta aisle, usually near rice or boxed pilaf mixes.

Herbs

Best Choice

I used fresh cilantro, mint, and parsley because they pair so well with the lime, avocado and yogurt.

Substitutions

If you don’t have cilantro, mint, or parsley, try swapping in fresh basil, dill, chives, or arugula.

Yogurt

Best Choice

Full-fat Greek yogurt gives the dressing creamy body and tang.

Substitutions

Plain regular yogurt or even sour cream can step in.

Cheese

Best Choice

Block feta in brine gives the best texture and flavor—crumbled by hand.

Substitutions

Goat cheese or queso fresco can be used for a twist.

Oil

Best Choice

Extra virgin olive oil adds richness to the couscous.

Substitutions

Avocado oil or neutral oils like canola work in a pinch.

You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post , but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.

Step By Step Instructions

Blend the Dressing

We’re starting with this zippy, creamy lemon-lime dressing that totally makes the salad. Into your blender or food processor, toss in a big handful of baby spinach, some fresh cilantro and parsley, a couple of mint leaves, one garlic clove, and your citrus—zest and juice from half a lime and half a lemon. Add a little Dijon for tang, some creamy Greek yogurt, and a chunk of feta. Blend that all up until it’s super smooth and green and gorgeous. Taste it. Add a pinch of salt, maybe a little more citrus if you’re feeling bold, and set it aside.

Top view of a glass pitcher filled with frothy green cilantro dressing, possibly for a couscous salad, set against a white background. - 15

Cook the Couscous

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Once it’s bubbling, stir in the couscous, turn off the heat, and cover it. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. When it’s ready, fluff it with a fork—it should be soft and light and just a little chewy.

A metal bowl filled with cooked couscous sits on a wire rack. A silver fork is placed inside the bowl, its tines buried in the fluffy, golden grains—perfect for making a vibrant couscous salad with Lemon Lime Dressing. - 16

Prep the Avocado

Now for the avocado—dice it up and give it a gentle toss with a splash of lemon juice. This helps keep it bright and creamy, not brown and sad. Set that aside too.

A glass bowl filled with diced avocado pieces, perfect for adding to a couscous salad. A silver spoon rests inside, and the evenly chopped green avocado sits on a white surface. - 17

Build the Salad

Now we build. In a big bowl, add chopped cucumber, avocado, red onion, and some more fresh herbs—parsley and cilantro. In goes your fluffy couscous. Drizzle on that vibrant green dressing, add a little more crumbled feta, and toss it all together until everything is coated and gorgeous.

A glass bowl contains breadcrumbs, chopped herbs, and a creamy light green cilantro dressing, partially mixed together, on a white background. - 18

Serve and Enjoy

Give it a taste. Add salt and pepper if you need it. And if you’re serving it later, just wait to add the dressing until right before. Top it off with a few extra herbs or feta if you’re feelin’ fancy. This is light, bright, super flavorful, and ridiculously easy.

Perfect Pairings

Grilled Chicken Thighs and Legs
Pork Burgers
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

FOR THE LIME AND CILANTRO DRESSING

▢ 1 handful baby spinach (or arugula)
▢ ¼ cup fresh cilantro
▢ ¼ cup fresh parsley
▢ 2 mint leaves
▢ 1 garlic clove
▢ ½ lime (zested and juiced, (about 1 tablespoon of juice))
▢ ½ lemon (zested and juiced (about 1½ tablespoons of juice, reserve ½ tablespoon of the juice for avocado))
▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
▢ 2½ oz feta cheese
▢ ¼ cup Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt)
▢ Kosher salt
▢ Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SALAD

▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 1 cup couscous (traditional couscous (white or whole wheat))
▢ 1 cup water
▢ ½ teaspoon fine salt
▢ black pepper (Freshly ground)
▢ 1 English cucumber (diced)
▢ 1 avocado (diced)
▢ ¼ cup red onion (chopped)
▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
▢ 2½ oz feta cheese (crumbled)

Instructions

FOR THE LIME AND CILANTRO DRESSING

Add the baby spinach, cilantro, parsley, mint, garlic, lime zest and juice, mustard, feta, and yogurt to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning, and add more juice or salt to taste and set aside.

FOR THE SALAD

In a small saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add the oil and couscous, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes, or until the couscous is tender. Then uncover and fluff it gently with a fork.
In a small bowl, gently toss the diced avocado with the reserved ½ tablespoon of lemon juice to help prevent browning.
Add the cucumber, avocado, red onion and green onions to a large mixing bowl. Mix in the remaining parsley and cilantro. Then, add the cooled couscous, dressing, and crumbled feta, tossing everything together until combined. If you’re preparing more than a day ahead, wait to add the dressing until right before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with extra red chopped red onion, crumbled feta, and chopped herbs if desired.

Tips

Erren’s Top Tips

For the best experience, enjoy the dressed salad within the first couple of days , as the herbs may lose their freshness over time. The flavors, however, tend to deepen as they sit, making this recipe ideal for preparing in advance. If you’re making it more than a day ahead, store the dressing separately and toss it with the salad just before serving. To keep any leftovers fresh, refrigerate them in an airtight container.
Fluff the couscous right : After cooking, use a fork—not a spoon—to fluff the couscous. This helps keep the grains light and separated instead of mushy or clumpy.
Don’t skip the lemon juice on the avocado : That little splash of lemon isn’t just for flavor—it prevents browning and keeps your salad looking fresh even hours later.
Use cold couscous : Let the couscous cool completely before mixing into the salad so it doesn’t wilt the herbs or soften the cucumber.
Taste as you go : After blending the dressing, give it a taste. You might want a little more citrus, feta, or salt depending on your preferences.
Make it your own : Want more crunch? Add chopped bell peppers or radish. Need extra protein? Toss in grilled chicken or chickpeas.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Nutrition

Can I use pearl couscous instead of traditional couscous?

Yes! Pearl couscous (also called Israeli couscous) has a chewier texture and works great here—just cook it according to package directions and cool before mixing.

Can I make this salad vegan?

Totally. Swap the feta for a plant-based alternative and use a dairy-free yogurt. The flavor will still pop thanks to the lemon-lime herb dressing.

How do I keep the herbs from going soggy?

Make sure the couscous is completely cooled and the herbs are dry when adding them. Wet herbs + warm grains = mushy mess.

Can I use bottled lemon and lime juice?

Fresh is best for flavor and brightness, especially in the dressing. Bottled juice works in a pinch, but the zest really makes it sing.

Is this salad good for meal prep?

Yes—with a tweak. Keep the dressing and avocado separate until ready to serve. It holds up really well in the fridge otherwise.

What can I use instead of couscous?

Try cooked quinoa, bulgur, or even orzo. Each adds a different texture and flavor but still works beautifully with the dressing and veggies.