Tuna Couscous Salad
Puffy balls of semolina pasta, tossed in a lemon vinaigrette and topped with chunks of tuna, Greek olives, fresh parsley, and salty feta cheese. There’s an unbelievable amount of flavor and texture in every bite.
This couscous salad is super easy to make. I started with fresh tuna steaks, but you can certainly use canned or pouch tuna too. And the couscous takes just minutes to prepare – the exact amount of time it takes for you to prepare the zingy vinaigrette!
What kind of couscous should you use for this salad? I like pearled couscous for this dish because the larger pearls of pasta can hold up to the hefty chunks of seafood. You can also use regular couscous, rice, or any small pasta shape of choice.
You can also make this salad with canned or pouch tuna. As I mentioned above, you don’t need fresh tuna steaks for this salad; pouch and canned tuna (and salmon) work too. Not in a tuna mood? Add protein to the salad by adding cooked chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon, ham, tofu, and/or walnuts.
Tuna Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- Olive oil or vegetable oil for coating the pan
- 2 tuna steaks, about 5 to 6 ounces each
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups pearled couscous
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated (I prefer grated garlic in vinaigrettes and dressings)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup kalamata, Greek olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Equipment
Instructions
- Coat a stove-top grill pan, griddle, or large skillet with oil and preheat to medium-high.
- Season both sides of the tuna with salt and black pepper and add to the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare, or longer for more fully cooked tuna. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to the package directions. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Transfer the couscous to a large bowl, add the dressing and toss to coat. Break or cut the tuna into chunks. Add the tuna to the couscous with the olives and parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, top with the feta cheese and serve.