Mediterranean Couscous Hot Honey (Printable Version)

Fluffy couscous tossed with fresh vegetables, feta, and a sweet-spicy hot honey lemon vinaigrette.

# Ingredient List:

→ Couscous & Vegetables

01 - 1 cup uncooked couscous
02 - 1¼ cups boiling water
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - ½ cup cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
08 - ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped (optional)

→ Hot Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon honey
14 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Place couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the couscous, cover tightly, and let steep for 5 minutes. Fluff grains with a fork and allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified and smooth.
03 - To the bowl of fluffed couscous, add halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, sliced Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and mint. Fold gently to combine without crushing the vegetables.
04 - Pour the hot honey lemon vinaigrette over the couscous mixture and toss thoroughly to coat every ingredient. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 10 minutes for a chilled version. Garnish with additional fresh herbs or extra crumbled feta if desired.

# Tips from hearthlykitchen:

01 -
  • The hot honey lemon vinaigrette hits every note, sweet, tart, spicy, and savory, and it takes less than a minute to whisk together.
  • Couscous requires zero actual cooking, just boiling water and patience, which makes this nearly effortless.
  • It tastes even better the next day after the flavors marry in the fridge overnight.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting time because the couscous needs those minutes to drink in the vinaigrette and soften properly.
  • If you toss the feta in too aggressively it will turn into a paste, so fold gently at the end.
03 -
  • Toast the couscous in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding water to give it a nutty depth most people never expect.
  • Warm the honey slightly before whisking it into the vinaigrette so it blends smoothly instead of clumping in cold lemon juice.

Go Back