Quick Couscous Salad with Tuna
Three pots going at once: couscous hydrating, green beans blanching, egg boiling. Fifteen minutes later they converge into a cold Mediterranean salad.
Tuna and a halved egg split 55 grams of protein between them on just 9 grams of fat. Tomato wedges, sliced olives, chopped red onion, and a squeeze of lemon pull it together without any dressing or added oil.
Ingredients
- couscous 3 ounces
- green beans (frozen) 1.5 cup
- egg 1
- tomatoes 2
- red onion 0.25
- olives 5
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
- tuna, in water 5 ounces
Method
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Prepare the couscous according to the instructions on the package.
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Blanch the green beans until they are al dente, about 6-8 minutes.
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Boil plenty of water in a saucepan and boil the egg for 5-6 minutes for a soft center or 7-8 minutes for hard.
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Cut the tomatoes into wedges, finely chop the red onion and slice the black olives.
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Cool down the egg quickly in cold water, peel and cut in half.
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Mix the lemon juice with the olives, red onion, green beans and tomato into the couscous. Spread the tuna on top.
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Serve with the egg.
Spread the couscous across a wide plate after Step 1 and let it cool for a few minutes before mixing. Hot couscous wilts raw tomatoes on contact and draws their water out, turning the bottom of the bowl into a puddle. Room-temperature grains keep the salad crisp.
Behind this recipe
Can I use fresh green beans instead of frozen?
Yes. Fresh green beans work well here. Blanch them for 4 to 5 minutes instead of 6 to 8, since they are denser than frozen and hold their snap better. Frozen beans are pre-blanched before freezing, so they need a bit more time in boiling water to finish cooking through.
Why is this salad so high in protein?
Two sources working together. The 5 ounces of tuna delivers the bulk, and the boiled egg adds another 6 to 7 grams. Combined with the couscous contributing its share from wheat semolina, the plate reaches 55 grams total. For context, isotope tracer research has shown the body continues using well above 30 grams in a single sitting for building and repairing muscle.
Can I make this ahead for meal prep?
This salad holds up well for 1 to 2 days in the fridge. Store the egg halves separately on top rather than pressing them into the salad. Keep the lemon juice mixed into the couscous, since the acid slows the green beans from browning. Add the tuna fresh if possible, though canned tuna from water holds its texture longer than oil-packed.
