Ingredients
Method
- Cook pearled couscous according to the package. Once cooked, rinse under cold water. This will prevent the couscous from sticking together as it cools. Drain well and place couscous in a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix well.
- While pearled couscous is cooking, add all lemon vinaigrette dressing ingredients to a bowl. Mix well to combine and set aside.
- Add castelvetrano olives, shallots, flat leafed parsley, dill, and tuna to the bowl and mix well to combine. Add dressing and fold the mixture with a spoon. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
Nutrition
Notes
Olive Oil Quality: I cannot stress enough how much the quality of your olive oil matters here.
Since this salad has so few ingredients, a good extra virgin olive oil makes the dressing sing.
I've tried it with a cheaper bottle and it was flat and disappointing.
Chilling Time: That one hour in the fridge is not optional.
I learned the hard way that eating it right away tastes fine, but the flavors are separate and lonely.
After an hour, everything marries together beautifully.
Couscous Texture: Rinsing the cooked couscous under cold water is the trick I discovered after making this sticky and clumpy the first time.
It stops the cooking immediately and keeps each grain distinct and separate.
Tuna Selection: I always use yellowfin tuna packed in olive oil, not water.
The oil-packed tuna adds so much more flavor and richness to the salad.
Just drain it well before flaking with a fork.
Make Ahead: This salad actually gets better overnight.
I often make it the day before serving.
Just give it a good stir before serving and you might need to add a tiny splash of olive oil if it seems dry after sitting.
Serving Ideas: I love serving this over a bed of arugula for extra freshness, or stuffed into a pita for a quick lunch.
It also makes a fantastic side for grilled fish or chicken if you want to stretch it further.
Storage: Leftovers keep beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Just don't freeze it.
The couscous will turn to mush when thawed.
