Warm Couscous Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette
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Light, fresh, and full of flavor, this couscous salad with a tangy-sweet apricot vinaigrette is made for summer.
I love Moroccan food, especially the way it blends savory and sweet—that’s the inspiration behind this couscous salad. It’s made with scallions, fresh herbs, crunchy almonds, and a tangy-sweet apricot vinaigrette, and it’s everything you want in a summer side: light, quick to make, easy to pack for a picnic or BBQ, and delicious served warm or at room temperature. I love it with my Grilled Moroccan Chicken but it’s just as good alongside almost any chicken, pork or lamb dish.
“Winner! Fast, easy, delicious, and pretty! New favorite! Thank you!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Warm Couscous Salad With Apricot Vinaigrette
- Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth + butter: Cooking the couscous in broth instead of water infuses it with flavor, and a little butter makes it rich and fluffy.
- Couscous: The hearty base of the salad. While it looks like a grain, couscous is actually a tiny pasta made from semolina flour—it cooks in minutes.
- Apricot preserves, olive oil & white wine vinegar: These make the vinaigrette. The preserves add sweet-tangy flavor, the vinegar balances it with brightness, and the olive oil adds richness and ties it all together.
- Scallions + fresh parsley or mint: Add freshness, color, and a light herbal note. The herbs are optional, but they really make the salad pop.
- Sliced almonds: Bring a satisfying crunch and toasty flavor that complement the sweet apricot vinaigrette.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Steam the couscous. Combine the broth, butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add the couscous and stir. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and remove from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff the couscous immediately with a fork so it doesn’t clump together.
Step 2: Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the apricot preserves, olive oil, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
Step 3: Mix the couscous and dressing. Add about three-quarters of the vinaigrette to the couscous and stir to combine. Taste and add the remaining vinaigrette, little by little, if necessary (you may not need it all). Be sure to add all the little chunks of apricot from the vinaigrette, as they tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl (just use a fork to fish them out).
Step 4: Finish and serve. Stir in the scallions, herbs, and sliced almonds. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed (I usually add a good bit of salt). Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Warm Couscous Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette
This quick couscous salad travels well, tastes great warm or at room temp, and pairs beautifully with grilled meats or seafood.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, best quality such as Swanson
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Salt
- 1 10-ounce box couscous (1½ cups)
- 6 tablespoons apricot preserves, best quality such as Bonne Maman
- 4½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or mint (optional)
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Bring the broth, butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium pot. Add the couscous and stir. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and remove from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff the couscous immediately with a fork so it doesn't clump together.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the apricot preserves, olive oil, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Add about three-quarters of the vinaigrette to the couscous and stir to combine. Taste and add the remaining vinaigrette, little by little, if necessary (you may not need it all). Be sure to add all the little chunks of apricot from the vinaigrette, as they tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl (just use a fork to fish them out). Stir in the scallions, herbs, and sliced almonds. Taste and adjust seasoning (I usually add a good bit of salt) and serve warm or at room temperature.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator; add the almonds right before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 375
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Sugar: 9g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 9g
- Sodium: 227mg
- Cholesterol: 5mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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My husband loved it, I found it too sweet. Paired well with the Moroccan Grilled Chicken. Nice light meal.
Hi Jenn,
Do you thing bulgar would work in place of the cous cous here? My husband doesn’t really care for cous cous.
Sure, bulgur should work. 🙂
Great! Served this with your Filipino Chicken Adobo and got raves. One guest said she normally does not like couscous but she loved this salad. Wonderful mix of savory and sweet. Just delicious. Toasting the sliced almonds really made for a nutty, extra special pop of flavor. Thanks so much, Jenn!
This looks delicious and I’d like to make it for my book club. Can I make it earlier in the day and serve it at room temperature?
Yep!
Do you think I could make this vegan by subbing oil for the butter?I need to take a dish for a brunch and like the idea of making a ‘fruity’ breakfast couscous!
Sure!
Hi, Jenn. This sounds delicious! We are a gluten-free household. Is there a sub I could use for the couscous?
Sure, Terri, quinoa would be a good alternative here. Keep in mind that quinoa needs to cook for longer than couscous — just follow the instructions on the box. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn. We’ve been trying a lot of your recipes lately, and this one is on the list for next week. I don’t have white wine vinegar, and was wondering if you can substitute it with something else?
Hi Jennifer, Apple cider vinegar will work here. Hope you enjoy!
We always enjoy the apricot couscous. since there are only two of us I was wondering if leftovers could be frozen after assembling.
Thanks
Glad you like it! I’ve never frozen it, but think you could. I’d leave the almonds out of the half you’re planning to freeze and add them when you’ve reheated and are ready to serve it.
Delicious, especially paired with the Moroccan Chicken as recommended. Love it and will definitely make again. Thank you.
This is very good – must make more often! I added both cilantro & fresh mint, with toasted almonds. This is a very fresh salad. A touch of sweetness but not overpowering.