Summertime calls for delicious dishes that showcase the season’s best ingredients—like this Strawberry, Cucumber & Pearl Couscous Salad! Sweet and crunchy balsamic glazed walnuts, crisp cucumbers and juicy strawberries combine with pearl couscous, mint and a honey balsamic vinaigrette for a tasty seasonal dish. This plant-based recipe works as a satisfying stand-alone lunch or a beautiful side that everyone at the table will love.
What Makes This Couscous Salad So Delicious
This chewy pearl couscous salad has a little bit of everything going on:
- Loads of freshness and vibrant color from the crisp cucumbers, juicy red strawberries and herbaceous mint
- The classic flavor of a honey balsamic dressing
- Lots of texture thanks to the crunchy, balsamic glazed walnuts
How to Make Balsamic Glazed Walnuts
The balsamic glazed walnuts are made by cooking a mixture of balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and butter together in a small saucepan, then tossing the walnuts together with the mixture to coat the walnuts evenly. Next, spread them onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and break up the walnut pieces immediately. Make sure to let them cool completely before tossing them into the salad.What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
For the dressing you will need balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, shallot, salt and pepper. Simply add all these ingredients to a jar, cover tightly and shake! Alternatively, you can whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
Tips & Tricks
If you are making this salad a day in advance, it is recommended to wait until just before serving to toss in the walnuts and even the other ingredients. The dressing will start to dissolve the glaze on the walnuts as it sits for longer periods of time, the mint will wilt and the cucumbers will begin to lose their crispness. If you are making this recipe the day before, you can prep the walnuts, dressing, couscous and other ingredients separately and simply toss everything together just before serving!
For more delicious inspiration, check out California Walnuts’ full collection of summer recipes.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by California Walnuts. However, all opinions are my own.
