Naxos Island Salad

NcMysteryShopper's Note:

Bursting with flavors, this Greek island salad would be a wonderful summer lunch or lite supper that is nourishing as well as delicious. Leaving the Feta off the salad will make it Vegan and still delicious! Recipe adapted from Cait Johnson.

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 cup uncooked couscous or 1 cup uncooked rice or 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1 large ripe tomato, diced, with juice
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 10 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 cups canned chick-peas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or more)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (can press as well)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• romaine lettuce leaf, ripped into bite-sized pieces
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook couscous, rice, or pasta according to package directions. Fluff couscous with fork, if using. If using rice, make sure all liquid is absorbed so the rice is dry, not sticky. If using orzo, rinse hot pasta in cool water and drain well.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, pepper, onion, olives, chickpeas, and parsley.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
4. Add dressing to vegetable mixture and toss well.
5. On a serving dish, arrange lettuce leaves, mound the couscous, rice, or pasta in center and cover with mixed vegetables.
6. Sprinkle with feta, if using, and serve.

Reviews

[Irmgard]

This is a delicious main course salad for lunch which I made with couscous, since I was pressed for time. I also made extra dressing. I initially made it to serve for dinner but didn't find it filling enough. For lunch, it works great. I still have some of the veggies left so will make up some more couscous to take for lunch to work during the week.

[myrar]

This has to be one of my favorite salads. Everyone loves it. I used the orzo pasta instead of rice. I toasted the orzo first in a little olive oil and then cooked it in chicken broth. I thought I hated chickpeas, but now I love them. I made extra dressing.

[*Parsley*]

Beautiful and delicious salad. I used rice. I loved the subtle dressing. I went a bit heavier on the olives and I used the optional Feta cheese (Feta is never optional, IMO ;) Thanx for a great lunch; I'll make this again!