Summer Salad

Directions

Step 1: Roast the bell peppers

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss together the garlic, sweet peppers, oil, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake until the peppers are dark golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Step 2: Cook the couscous and quinoa

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the water, oil and salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous and quinoa. Reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for five minutes.

Editor’s Tip: If you like your peas a little more tender, you can add them to the couscous mixture in this step to cook and soften a bit.

Step 3: Assemble the salad

Transfer the couscous and quinoa to the bowl with the roasted pepper mixture. Stir in the tomatoes, arugula, pineapple, peas, feta, sunflower kernels and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Pour over salad, and gently toss to coat.

Summer Salad Variations

• Swap in jarred red peppers: Don’t feel like turning on the oven in the summer? Substitute with jarred roasted red peppers instead. Use pre-sliced jarred peppers or whole peppers, and slice them yourself. Either way, be sure to drain them really well before adding to the salad.
• Use whole grains: To use even more wholesome grains, swap out the couscous for farro or even brown rice. (You’ll need to adjust the cook time and temp according to the grains you sub in.)
• Add more protein: For a heartier meal, toss in cubed grilled or roasted chicken, or canned (or cooked homemade) kidney beans or chickpeas.
• Experiment with other fruits: If you don’t love pineapple, substitute with fresh peaches or nectarines.
• Make it vegan: If you want to veganize this salad, swap the feta cheese out for kalamata olives (they add a similar salty brininess), and use maple syrup instead of honey. Here are the best olives according to our Test Kitchen pros.

Can you make summer salad ahead of time?

You can prep parts of the summer salad, like the peppers, couscous, quinoa and dressing, up to two days in advance. Store these components separately in covered containers in the fridge. Combine with the rest of the ingredients when it’s time to assemble the salad.

How to Store Summer Salad

Transfer leftover summer salad to an airtight container, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Summer Salad Recipe Tips

What do you serve summer salad with?

This colorful couscous salad is a great picnic side dish for other summer favorites, like any of our favorite grilled fish recipes or barbecued chicken recipes.

How do you serve summer salad?

If you have time, it’s a good idea to let this salad marinate for about an hour before serving to let all the flavors meld together. You can serve the salad chilled or at room temperature.