A delicious and fresh couscous arugula salad marinated in a shallot vinaigrette topped with a yogurt dressing and grilled halloumi that's super simple to make and full of vibrant flavors. This salad is so easy to make ahead and can be topped with any protein of choice. The perfect dish to mix things up and try something new!
In a sauce pan or skillet with a lid, saute 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and 1 1/3 cups of Israeli couscous over medium heat until couscous is lightly golden brown (~5 minutes). Carefully add in 1 3/4 cups of hot or boiling water, give the pot a stir so nothing is sticking to the bottom, and bring up to a simmer. Adding hot water will create a lot of immediate steam so be careful!! Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and let cook for 11-12 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed.
Once the couscous is done cooking, turn off the heat and set it aside to let it cool down to warm or room temperature.
While the couscous is cooking and cooling, make the two dressings.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 finely diced shallot, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup of whole milk plain yogurt, 1/2 cup of finely diced or grated cucumber, 1 finely diced shallot, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves, 1/8 tsp cumin, 1/8 tsp coriander, and 1/8 tsp salt. Place back into the refrigerator until everything is ready to serve.
To assemble, toss together the 3 oz arugula, 1/4 cup of raisins, warm or room temperature couscous, and the couscous arugula salad dressing.
Once everything else is ready and it's almost time to eat, heat up 1 tbsp of oil in a small nonstick skillet. Once the skillet is hot, grill each slice of halloumi for about 1 minute per side.
Top the salad with yogurt dressing and the grilled halloumi. Serve immediately!
Servings 0