Instant Pot Couscous
Instant Pot Couscous is simple to make, flavorful, and so versatile! This delicious Israeli couscous Instant Pot salad recipe can be served hot or cold, making it a perfect side dish or stand-alone light meal.
Suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
If you love Israeli couscous, you are going to love this pearled couscous Instant Pot salad recipe. It’s one of my favorite Moroccan couscous side dishes.
Cooking Instant Pot couscous is easy and it’s ready in just 30 minutes! Plus, this couscous salad has incredible flavor thanks to a flavorful dressing.
Instant Pot Couscous is the perfect side dish, and it can be used in so many different ways. Serve couscous with fish or chicken or as a substitute for rice or pasta in almost any recipe.
This pearl couscous Instant Pot salad stores well, so it’s ideal for making ahead. Whip up a batch on Sunday and you can enjoy it for a simple, healthy, and flavorful lunch option the entire week.
If you love the idea of using your Instant Pot to make flavorful and satisfying salads like this one, you’ll want to check out this Instant Pot Tuna Pasta Salad, My Instant Pot Taco Pasta Salad recipe, and this Instant Pot Caprese Pasta Salad.
Why Make This Recipe
- Perfect for Make Ahead – Pressure cook this pearled couscous Instant Pot salad up to a day or two in advance for easy meal prep. The cooked couscous will absorb the dressing making it even more flavorful.
- A Delicious Side Dish – This Israeli couscous recipe is loaded with tons of vegetables and topped with a simple dressing for a delicious salad that’s perfect as a side dish or a light main dish.
- Fast and Easy – Get this dish from the pantry to the table in less than 30 minutes.
- Hot or Cold – This dish can be eaten cold or served hot for a versatile and simple dish.
Ingredient Notes
- Couscous – use pearl couscous, which can be found in the grain or pasta aisle in your grocery store.
- Water – regular tap water is fine, or use vegetable broth or chicken broth for a richer flavor.
- Cherry Tomatoes – cut them in half or into quarters if they are very large. You can also use grape tomatoes.
- Bell pepper – finely chop your favorite color of bell pepper.
- Dill – always add fresh herbs when possible. If using dried dill, decrease the amount to one tablespoon.
- Green Olive – use sliced olive.
- Chickpeas – canned chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) should be rinsed and drained.
- Salt and Pepper – to taste.
For the dressing –
- Olive Oil – or use your favorite light, neutral flavored oil.
- Lemon – use the juice of one whole, fresh lemon. For bottled lemon juice, use a third of a cup. Add the lemon zest for even more lemon flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Substitute your favorite vinegar if you don’t have ACV on hand.
- Maple Syrup – Use real maple syrup or substitute honey.
Ready to make this Israeli Couscous Instant Pot? Gather your ingredients and I will show you…
How To Make Instant Pot Couscous
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Add the couscous to the instant pot, then stir in the water, oil, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Close and seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
- While the couscous cooks, mix the dressing by combining lemon juice, oil, vinegar, and maple syrup in a bowl or small jar and whisking or shaking until well mixed.
- Quick release any remaining pressure, pour the couscous into a strainer, and rinse it under cold water.
- Place the Instant Pot pearl couscous into a salad bowl with the rest of the ingredients, pour in the dressing, and stir to combine.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Expert Tips
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half or into quarters if they are exceptionally large.
- Rinse and drain chickpeas before adding them to the salad. Chickpeas are sometimes labeled as garbanzo beans.
- For a nuttier flavor, sauté dry couscous in a bit of butter using the Instant Pot sauté function before cooking.
- Serve this salad warm or cold.
- Mix the dressing by adding all the ingredients to a mason jar, placing the lid on, then vigorously shaking the jar to combine.
- Replace the water with chicken stock or vegetable stock for a richer flavor.
- Rinsing couscous under cool water helps to cool it down. If you are serving this salad hot, you can skip this step.
Delicious Variations
- Make It Cheesy – Toss in feta cheese for a flavorful twist.
- Make It Spicy – Add diced jalapeno for a spicy version of this Israeli couscous Instant Pot salad.
- Use Other Couscous – Israeli couscous is slightly larger than other kinds of couscous, but you can prepare this recipe with your favorite variety. Adjust the cooking times accordingly.
Prep And Storage
- Prep Ahead – You can make the couscous in advance, store in the fridge and combine it with the remaining ingredients just before serving.
- Store – Store leftover couscous salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze – Couscous can be frozen for up to 3 months. We recommend freezing couscous separately from the remaining ingredients in this instant pot pearl couscous recipe.
FAQs
Israeli couscous, also called pearl couscous or ptitim, are tiny balls of small pasta made from semolina flour and water. This pasta was invented in the 1950s but the Israeli prime minister as a way to feed an influx of immigrants.
Instant Pot Israeli couscous can be served in hot or cold recipes. For a simple side dish, toss cook couscous with butter, salt, and a bit of fresh herbs.
Couscous is a type of pasta made from wheat flour, so it is not gluten-free.
More Recipes You May Like
- Instant Pot Rasta Pasta.
- Dump and Start Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea Stew.
- How to Cook Instant Pot Quinoa.
- Couscous Sierra Leone style.
Serving Suggestions
Weight Watchers Points
There are 8 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
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Instant Pot Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 bell pepper finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- ¼ cup green olive sliced
- ½ cup chickpeas rinsed and drained
- salt and pepper to taste
Dressing
- 1 whole lemon juiced
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the couscous to the instant pot then stir in the water, oil, salt and pepper until well combined.
- Close and seal the lid and cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
- While the couscous cooks, mix the dressing by combining lemon juice, oil, vinegar and maple syrup in a bowl or small jar and whisking or shaking until well mixed.
- Quick release any remaining pressure, pour the couscous into a strainer and rinse it under cold water.
- Place the instant pot couscous into a salad bowl with the rest of the ingredients, pour in the dressing and stir to combine.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Video
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Notes
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half or into quarters if they are exceptionally large.
- Rinse and drain chickpeas before adding to the salad. Chickpeas are sometimes labeled as garbanzo beans.
- Saute dry couscous in a bit of butter using the Instant pot sauté function before cooking for a nuttier flavor.
- Serve this salad warm or cold.
- Mix the dressing in a mason jar.
- Replace the water with chicken stock or vegetable stock for a richer flavor.
- Rinsing couscous under cool water helps to cool it. If you are serving this salad hot, you can skip this step.
- Storage – keep in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 5 days.
- There are 8 WW Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
