Cucumber, Mango & Avocado Israeli Couscous Salad with Mint-Chile Vinaigrette
Chewy pearl couscous tossed with cool cucumber, sweet mango and creamy avocado in a bright mint, lime-y lemon and serrano vinaigrette. A fresh, summery side that travels well.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 ½ cups Israeli couscous dry
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 ripe mango
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
- ¼ cup minced green onion
- 1 serrano chile minced
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 ½ tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Israeli couscous in a pot of boiling water (as you would pasta) until al dente, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a colander, rinse with cold water until cool, and drain 10 minutes.
- Peel and chop the avocado, cucumber and mango into pieces of roughly equal size. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
- Combine the couscous, avocado, cucumber and mango in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to distribute evenly. Taste and add more salt as needed.
Notes
Cool the couscous: Rinsing and draining stops the cooking and keeps the pearls separate rather than gummy.
Even dice: Cut the avocado, cucumber and mango about the same size as the couscous pearls so every bite is balanced.
Chile heat: One serrano is medium — seed it for less heat or add more for a bigger kick.
Add avocado last: Fold it in gently right before serving so it stays in neat pieces.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 580mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg