Prep Time::20 mins
Cook Time::40 mins
Additional Time:: 8 hrs
Total Time:: 9 hrs
Servings::6
Ingredients
Couscous:
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups pearl (Israeli) couscous
2 ½ cups water
Lentils:
½ cup French lentils
Salad:
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 small cucumber, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins or sultanas
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives (Optional)
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, or more to taste
1 teaspoon ground sumac (Optional)
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons honey, or more to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
To make couscous: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir couscous in hot oil until toasted and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in water and bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse couscous under cold water in a colander, then transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil until well coated.
Place lentils in a small pan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and rinse lentils under cold water in a colander; add to couscous.
To make the salad: Add tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, cranberries, raisins, red onion, chives, green onion, parsley, and sumac to couscous-lentil mixture.
To make the dressing: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
Pour dressing over salad; stir until coated. Let chill in the refrigerator until flavors blend, 8 hours to overnight.
Cook’s Note
You can adjust the sweetness of the dressing to your liking. I prefer it a bit tart, while my kids like it a bit sweeter.
You can store the salad in the refrigerator, covered, for up to a week.