Guys. THIS SALAD. I know I say a lot of my recipes are a “must make” (because truly, they are) but this salad is one I guarantee you’ll make again and again.
Let me reintroduce my scoop it up kale couscous salad bursting with freshness, texture, and zippy, savory flavors. We’re loading this bowl up with salty feta cheese, protein from chickpeas, the best-ever Castelvetrano olives, OH, and pickled red onion for good measure. I call it “scoop it up” because whenever I make it I end up scooping it straight from the salad bowl with pita chips because mama loves that crunch factor.
Take 30 minutes and make it for lunch or as a yummy side dish this week with your favorite proteins, or bring it to your next BBQ as a crowd-pleasing dish. You’re going to love this one.
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Everything you’ll need to make this kale couscous salad
Crunchy veggies! Couscous and chickpeas! Olives and feta! Oh, and the best lemon vinaigrette you’ll want to put on every salad forever. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this beautiful salad:
- Couscous: you may know by now that I’m obsessed with pearl couscous. It’s like little tiny pasta that creates the perfect base for soups, one pot meals, and salads.
- Kale: the other base of this salad is, of course, kale! I have a few tips for making kale salads below that make them extra delicious.
- Chickpeas: we’re adding plant-based protein from a can of chickpeas.
- Mix-ins: you’ll get savory flavor from feta cheese and my fav Castelvetrano olives, freshness from parsley, and a sweet-and-zesty flavor from pickled red onion. YUM.
- For the dressing: this incredible lemon vinaigrette is made with fresh lemon juice, a little olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, red pepper flakes, sugar (or honey), salt and pepper.
Make this salad gluten-free or vegan
- To make gluten-free: feel free to swap the couscous for gluten-free orzo or even quinoa! You can also omit the orzo to keep the salad grain-free, but I love the little bites of grains.
- To make vegan: simply omit the feta cheese.
Looking to add a little crunch?
Throw in ½ cup salted roasted pistachios, sunflower seeds, or toasted sliced almonds. As the title suggests, I also like scooping this salad up with tortilla chips, pita chips, or pita crackers for an even bigger crunch. SO GOOD.
More ways to boost the protein
This kale couscous salad packs 18g of protein as is, but feel free to serve it with:
- Grilled steak or shrimp
- My Baked or Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
- Or my Honey Lemon Garlic Salmon
The key to making kale salads
Raw kale is actually pretty tough, but there are a couple of ways to prep it in a salad to make it perfectly crunchy and nicely marinated with the dressing:
- Finely chop it. Be sure to chop it very finely so that the bites aren’t too large. Use a sharp knife or salad chopper, or pulse the kale a few times in a food processor.
- Dress it first. You’ll want to add your chopped kale in a bowl with the chickpeas and couscous and mix the dressing in for at least 1 minute until everything is well coated before adding the mix-ins. This will ensure that the kale marinates well with the dressing and isn’t as tough in texture.
- Meal prep it. This kale couscous salad is amazing when prepped ahead of time because the kale doesn’t break down like other greens do.
How to store this kale couscous salad
This salad will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Our fav salad tools
Check out more of our go-to kitchen essentials here!
More salad recipes you’ll love
- Summer Glow Strawberry Kale Salad
- Curried Chickpea Couscous Salad
- Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado, Goat Cheese & Hot Honey Vinaigrette
- Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Spicy Ranch Chopped Chicken Cabbage Salad
Get all of my salad recipes here!
I hope you love this kale couscous salad! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Spoon It Up Kale Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- For the couscous:
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- For the lemon vinaigrette:
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the salad:
- 1 bunch of Tuscan kale, finely chopped
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ⅔ cup Castelvetrano olives, coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces feta, crumbled
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ heaping cup pickled red onion, plus more if you love them!!
- Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the couscous: In a medium pot, add the water, couscous and salt and bring to a boil. Stir couscous, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large sieve and rinse the couscous with cold water for about 1 minute, until the couscous has cooled. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or mason jar: add the lemon juice, olive oil, dijon, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, sugar (or honey) and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk until well combined and emulsified, or alternatively, place a lid on the jar and shake until well combined.
- Prepare the salad: In the large bowl with the couscous, add the kale and chickpeas. Pour the lemon vinaigrette over and use tongs to toss until dressing coats everything well, about 1 minute.
- Next, add in the olives, feta, parsley and red onion. Toss again with tongs until well-combined. Add salt and pepper to taste, as needed. Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Salad is excellent prepped ahead of time. Try serving with tortilla chips, pita chips or pita crackers for scooping up. This salad is also fantastic served on the side with your favorite protein such as grilled steak, chicken, shrimp or salmon. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on June 22nd, 2024, and republished on June 24th, 2025.
This sounds delish! What should I substitute for couscous if I’m gluten free? Thanks!
Hi! Check out the full post for all of my substitution suggestions 🙂 gluten-free orzo or quinoa would be great in here.
Yummy salad. Would never think to put pickled onions on salad but was my fav part. The olives and feta made it. I needed more dressing but I might have had too much kale. Def make again and again
Wow!! This salad was DELICIOUS! Perfectly balanced, nutritious and fulfilling. I almost made it without the pickled onions because I thought it would be time consuming. So easy and it really elevated the salad to another level! The dressing was perfect. Best salad EVER! I highly recommend you try it…immediately!
They’re easier to make than you think! One of our new favs, too 🙂 Glad you loved it!!
I will be making this salad on repeat! I used a bag of Trader Joes Cruciferous Crunch (kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage) so I did not have to chop the kale. I raasted the chickpeas so they were not as mushy. I also used hot honey in the dressing, So so good! Thank you Monique!
So good!! Great ideas with those swaps – sounds delicious 🙂
This was absolutely delicious! Love the tanginess of the dressing. I’d never tried Toscano kale before but I’m a convert. Only change was to leave out the parsley. Had this as a side when grilling out but could totally have this as a main for lunch.
So glad you loved it! It really is our new favorite side or lunch.
This salad is DELISH! I subbed in farro for the couscous but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. The flavor and texture are so dang good, I definitely see this becoming a staple in our household!
Love that!!
I just made this and I have to say I am obsessed! I ended up taking out some of the couscous because it was just a bit too much for me but other than that this is sooooo good. This is going to my lunch for the week and I am pumped! Please keep the awesome salad recipes coming!
Amazing!! So glad you loved it 🙂
This was so good and so easy to make! I paired it with honey mustard chicken, also your recipe, and it came out fantastic. Great to meal prep since the kale holds up so well. Will definitely be part of our weekly meal prep rotation. Thank you for the great recipe!
Love that! The perfect combo 🙂
This recipe is outstanding! A bit of a labor of love since you have to pickle onions and then I added in grilled chicken so that took a bit more time too, but highly recommend if you have some time to prep this! So refreshing and a deliciously healthy summer meal.
So glad you loved it! Feel free to pickle the onions ahead of time, too, if you’re in a pinch 🙂
I don’t even really like kale but I loved this salad!
So happy to hear that!!
I made this recipe for my dad who is a vegetarian and in his words, “DELICIOUS! Really one of my absolute favorites.” I saved a little extra for me, and scooped it up with naan (pita works, too). Aside from the delicious flavor combination, I love that for a vegetarian dished – packed with protein and zero processed ingredients – it was super easy to make (read: I didn’t have to spend hours in the kitchen). Will definitely make this again!
Amazing! So happy you both loved it 🙂
I meal prepped this yesterday for lunches this week. WOW, what a flavorful and delicious salad! The lemon dressing with the garlic and pepper flake really go so well with the salad ingredients. I put everything in one bowl except the olives, cheese and onions and then mixed a portion for lunch today. I will mix what is left together tomorrow as it will then be eaten within 2 days. My approach to make sure it lasts! Another Ambitious Kitchen hit!!!
Amazing! So glad you loved it!!
Delicious! I only used about half the dressing and found it was enough but kept the rest for other salads over the next couple of days because it was so fresh!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Love this salad!
So happy to hear that!
Is delicious & easy to throw together (especially when using pre shredded kale from Trader Joe’s. I will make again!
Absolutely! One of my new favs 🙂
Omg, this salad is so bomb! I love the zestiness of the vinaigrette and the texture of the ingredients together. I should have chopped the kale a bit smaller, and that’s what I would change for next time. No pics, as it was gobbled up too quickly!
Obsessed! Yes, be sure to give it a really good chop – but it’s delicious regardless 🙂
Bomb dot com per usual! Really incredible flavors here with the creaminess of the feta, chickpeas and the nuttiness of the pearl couscous. Briny olives and pickled onion all wrapped up in a very bright, citrus forward vin with just the perfect amount of sweetness. Chefs kiss Monique!
Tons of flavors and textures here! Glad you loved it 🙂
Just made this salad for the second time since the recipe dropped and it is absolutely God-tier. It’s so easy to put together and the olives/feta/picked onions with that lemon dressing is an undefeated flavor combo. I’m obsessed!
We’re equally as obsessed! Happy you loved it 🙂
We made this for our girls group monthly dinner club and it was loved by all!! A little more prep than I’d like in a salad but so worth it and love that it will keep in the fridge for yummy leftovers!
Amazing! So glad it was a hit!
The combination of flavors is incredible! I took it to a potluck and someone offered me money to make a batch for her. Everyone raved about it.
Haha love that!!
I absolutely loved this salad. I contemplated not using the olives since they were the only thing I didn’t have on hand. I used them and I am so glad I did. They added a nice briny and meaty flavor. I did a mix of orzo and pearl couscous since I didn’t have enough pearl couscous. This salad is a perfect summer salad but also something I will make this fall when I am craving some lightness!
So good!! Love the mix of grains, too 🙂
So freaking good!! Put extra olives and vegan feta. Will definitely be making it again!!
Love that!! Perfect meal 🙂
15/10! One of the best AK recipes we’ve ever made! Good with grilled chicken or without. Makes plenty of leftovers for lunches and gets more flavorful each day!
So good!! Glad you loved it!
I had very high hopes but I’m not sure the proportions were right. It tasted very sour, tart and salty. Not much flavour otherwise.
Might be good as a side salad with chicken or something.
Sorry to hear that! I’m not sure what could’ve gone wrong here – did the dressing seem overly sour? Feel free to reduce the lemon juice a bit.
Unbelievably delicious! I added some chicken and meal prepped this for the week but tasted it and ended up having it for dinner because it was so delicious. Dressing is super versatile too – a delicious and very filling salad. Will definitely make again and again!
Perfect! One of my new favs from this year, too 🙂
This is seriously my favorite salad of all time!!!! And this dressing is the perfect go-to vinaigrette for any other salad too.
Same!! So happy you love it, too!
Colorful and flavorful salad with a bit of zing! Great change up for enjoying garden kale. Easy to make and can be prepared ahead. (Make extra pickled onions as you will enjoy them on other dishes.)
Absolutely! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Way way way way too much lemon. 1/3 of a cup is so so so much. Definitely do 1/4 of a cup…. And massage your kale
I’ve always found the lemon juice to be the right amount for all of the kale, but yes, feel free to reduce it!
I have never left a review for a recipe before but oh my goodness. This recipe is to die for! Everyone loved it and had seconds and thirds! I don’t live parsley so I substituted basil and mint and it was so flavorful. Well done!
So glad you loved it! My fav, too 🙂
So, so good!!!
My fav!!
Would frozen and thawed out kale work?
I wouldn’t recommend it!
Loved it! Great flavor combination. I have never used pearl couscous but that was a great addition. Thank you!
The best!! Happy you enjoyed!
This is truly the BEST salad – it stays just as delicious on day 1 vs. day 4 and is always something I look forward to having for lunch!
YES one of my all-time favs, too!
No words to describe how delicious this salad is!!! Trust me when I say just make it. Make the pickled onions too. Had to go to another site for the recipe because I couldn’t find here. I didn’t have pearl couscous. Used 1 cup of uncooked whole wheat couscous. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The best! I still make this one all the time 🙂 Glad you love it, too!
This was absolutely fantastic! We loved it. Quick and easy to make and we had all the ingredients on hand. Fortunately we have leftovers for tomorrow and I predict it will be even better tomorrow. If that’s even possible.
Your information and directions were very helpful. Thanks for your great recipes and beautiful photography.
The best leftovers! So glad you loved this one!
Nice!
This looks delicious! I was wondering, what type of feta did you use? It looks nice and creamy. All I can ever ever find is dried looking stuff.
I typically buy a block of feta instead of the pre-crumbled kind!
I just made this recipe exactly as written and I’m obsessed. It’s so tasty and such a good summer lunch for me to prep. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
So happy to hear that!
so yummy! so easy.
Agreed!!
I picked up some fresh Kale at the Farmer’s Market yesterday and had this recipe in mind. I made it today and it is delicious. When I have it again tomorrow, I will sprinkle sunflower seeds on it, just to change it up. I can never go wrong with any Ambitious Kitchen recipe. They always end up being the ones I make over and over again. We start receiving a CSA box in the middle of July, so I will be searching for recipes here to use what I receive in it!
Amazing! This one’s great for customizing 🙂 Be sure to check out my Recipe Index where you can search by ingredient!
This salad is to die for! I didn’t have olives but I added some toasted pepitas and chopped cilantro. I love how versatile it is, how well it saves and that I can consume it with readily available ingredients year round. An absolute winner.
So good and easy to customize!!
Another winner! Delicious. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed!
Just a question- I always worry about my proportions – dressing to kale- when the recipe says 1 bunch of kale (our farmstand has HUGE bunches of greens!) Do you have an approximate measure (packed cups or weight?) of the chopped kale?
Thank you!!
It should be about 8-10 cups finely chopped!
Wow, this is addictively delicious and definitely a new favorite! I’m always looking for healthy bowls/salads to meal prep for lunches for the week, and this was so insanely good that I accidentally ended up eating a serving on the spot for dinner and texted the recipe to several friends and family members. This one is going to be on repeat! I bought chicken to add more protein but once I saw how big the servings are, I skipped it. I added a diced bell pepper and massaged the kale with 1 tbsp of the dressing before adding the rest, otherwise followed the recipe exactly. YUM!
Amazing! So happy you loved it!
Kale hater over here! If I could give this recipe extra stars I would! This was so delicious. Even my picky 8 year old took a bite and said “oh this is good!”. Total win! Thank you!
Amazing! What an honor to convert a kale hater 😉
This salad is sooo yummy! Definitely a crowd pleaser! I love how you can make it vegan or gluten free depending on who you’re cooking for. Delish!
Absolutely! Truly one of my all time favorites 🙂
Delicious and nutritious! The first time I made it I used quinoa instead of couscous but followed everything else really closely. The second time I made it I only followed the ingredients but not really the measurements and it was still delicious. A very adaptable recipe. The leftovers are just as good, so this is a nice one for making ahead of time.
This one’s great for customizing! Such a great lunch.
This is become a staple in my lunchtime routine since finding it last fall. I am obsessed. I eat it for 4 days in a row without getting sick of it and can’t wait until the next time I get to make it. I’ve sent it to so many friends who say the same. Thank you!
Omg I love that!
thank you for introducing me to Tuscan kale! I make this recipe so often for the week, if I’m lazy I just do kale, cous cous and garbanzo beans and it’s so so good for meal prep. Trader Joe’s has Tuscan kale leaves pre washed that I’m newly obsessed with. Don’t get the chopped leaves, as it’s hard to de stem every single leaf. Get the big leaves. De stem in one pull and then chop the leaves finely, that was another thing I learned from your recipe! Love your content and recipes Monique! I live in Chicago too!
YES such a great, staple green for salads! Good way to get our veggies in here in Chicago 🙂
I LOVE this salad – it’s part of my regular meal prep rotation and every time someone sees me eating it they say “that looks good.” It’s easy, delicious and stays fresh all week once portioned. I haven’t tried it with the chips – it’s good enough eaten with a fork. Would love more recipes like this!
So happy to hear that! It’s one of our go-to’s 🙂 Try this one next!
so delicious! especially with those olives and pickled red onions – a dream! i made this the first time with farro and it is amazing and adds a bit of a different texture.
So good! This one’s great for customizing 🙂
This is fantastic. I’ll be making it on repeat all summer.
One of my all-time favs! Glad you loved it 🙂