This Pearl Couscous Salad, inspired by cowboy caviar, is the perfect vegan side for potlucks or meal prep.
If you haven't tried the iconic cowboy caviar recipe by Bria Lemirande, you need to. There is something so quintessentially SUMMER about sitting by the pool, eating cowboy caviar with chips.
I loved the cowboy caviar recipe so much that I decided to make this pearl couscous salad inspired by it. While the original cowboy caviar is typically eaten as a "dip" with chips, this cowboy caviar couscous salad is meant to be a side that you can meal prep or bring to parties to share. It's got couscous to make it heartier enough for a light meal, but it can also be a delicious side.
If you loved my curried couscous salad, you'll love the new twist on flavours in this pearl couscous salad!
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Great for meal prep. Pearl couscous salad is one of those sturdy salads that won't get soggy, making it great for meal prep lunches.
- Plant-based. I'm always looking for ways to eat more plants, and this pearl couscous salad is full of fiber and plant-based protein.
- Perfect for summer. If you have lots of upcoming BBQs and potlucks this summer, save this recipe for an easy option!
Ingredients
Pearl couscous. Although the original cowboy caviar doesn't contain any couscous, I love adding pearl couscous to make this a bit more filling. Pearl couscous is usually found either near the pasta or rice in most grocery stores.
Beans. For fiber and plant based protein, I'm using black eyed peas and black beans. You can use any beans or legume will be a great option here: chickpeas, lentils, kidney or navy beans are great options.
Veggies. Bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, corn are the main vegetables we use in this salad. The key is to dice them up nice and small and use a variety of different coloured vegetables for a beautiful salad that has the perfect amount of freshness and crunch.
Cilantro. For freshness and flavour! If you aren't a huge cilantro fan, you can substitute with parsley.
Jalapeno. For a hint of spice, we use a bit of jalapeno. If you really don't like spice, you can opt to use pickled jalapeno for some tang.
For the dressing:
Olive oil. I love using olive oil as a heart healthy base in my dressings, but avocado oil or any neutral oil also works.
Vinegar. I recommend white vinegar, however if you wanted to experiment you could try using rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or even balsamic vinegar.
Lime. For a bright vibrant burst of flavour. Lime is most classic to cowboy caviar, but lemon also works.
Spices. Cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder are the only spices you will need.
Honey. For a touch of natural sweetness!
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
- Cook couscous according to package instructions, rinse and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl combine black beans, black eyed peas, bell peppers, red onion, tomatoes, corn, cilantro and jalapeno. Add couscous once cool.
- To make the dressing: in a mason jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, honey, salt and black pepper.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: swap the pearl couscous for a gluten-free couscous or quinoa.
To make dairy-free: this recipe is naturally dairy-free.
To make vegan: this recipe is naturally vegan.
To make nut-free: this recipe is naturally nut-free.
This cowboy caviar couscous salad is yours to customize:
- For added protein: add in your favourite prepared protein such as shredded or chopped chicken, sausage crumbles, additional beans or even some hemp seeds
- Other vegetables: if we follow the original viral recipe, the vegetables used in a cowboy caviar are the ones I used in the recipe below. However, you can feel free to use whatever you have in the fridge. Just dice them up nice and small and try to choose a variety of colours (avocado would also be great)
- Other beans: ANY beans will work great in the salad! I tried to stay as close to the original recipe as possible, but some other options include navy beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils
- Dressing: I used a fairly classic oil and vinegar dressing, but you could switch up the flavors by changing the vinegar, adding pesto, etc.
Equipment
- Vegetable chopper (optional)
- Mixing bowl
Storage
This pearl couscous salad recipe is PERFECT for meal prep since it doesn't get soggy. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Top Tips for Success
I love using a vegetable chopper to make the prep a BREEZE! My secret to a good bean salad (or any salad) is ensuring everything is diced into small even sized pieces. This ensures that you get a taste of everything in every bite. I like to call this a "scoopable salad" because you can use a spoon or even chips to scoop up every bite.
Salads like this are SUPER customizable, so get creative and experiment with other vegetables or beans (or even added protein sources) you have in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can! Any grain such as a small pasta, quinoa, barley, couscous or regular couscous will work well. I love pearl couscous as I find the small round shape pairs perfectly with the beans, but the choice is yours.
This is a great option for the base of a balanced meal. I would suggest pairing with some additional veggies (I love serving mine over a bed of spring mix) and maybe even a bit more protein such as my thin sliced chicken breast. This pearl coucous salad would also make an amazing side dish for burgers (I love these spicy feta chicken burgers) or anything grilled like chicken thighs or veggie skewers.
More Salad Recipes
If you loved this cowboy caviar inspired salad, try these next:
- Curried Couscous Vegan Salad
- Baked Feta and Sausage Couscous
- Vegan Bean Salad
- Chickpea Feta Cucumber Quinoa Salad
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this pearl couscous salad, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Pearl Couscous Salad with Beans
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked pearl couscous
- 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can black eyed peas rinsed and drained
- 3 small bell peppers diced (I like using red, orange and yellow for a variety of colours)
- 1 red onion diced
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoon Jalapeno diced
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook couscous according to package instructions, rinse and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl combine black beans, black eyed peas, bell peppers, red onion, tomatoes, corn, cilantro and jalapeno. Add couscous once cool.
- To make the dressing- in a mason jar or bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, honey, salt and black pepper.
Steph Macdonald says
We loved this! We ate it as our main meal one evening and paired it with a protein for the next!
Kate says
I’ve made this twice in the past couple weeks. Such a refreshing lunch and I’ve been loving it!!
Kelly says
LOVE ALL OF THESE. Thank you so much for sharing.