Loaded Fresh Basil and Sweet Corn Couscous Green Salad
This loaded couscous green salad is AMAZING! It comes together fast…and that fresh basil dressing will knock your socks off.
I know salad can sometimes be a bit of a letdown, but I promise with all the fervor in my soul that this salad is worth it.
It has quickly and easily become one of my favorite salads ever. I’ve made it four times in the last several weeks and everyone that I’ve forced to eat it has declared it also: best ever.
There’s a lot going on. It’s loaded with crazy delicious ingredients, and that fresh basil dressing is next level. But it comes together fast, and most of it can be made ahead of time!
If you follow Si over at A Bountiful Kitchen, you already know she has impeccable taste in food. She also happens to be one of my favorite humans on the planet.
The origins of this salad come from her blog. (She gave me permission to post my slightly altered version.)
I’m a big fan of loaded salads with gobs of personality. This salad has it all.
- romaine
- dried cranberies
- bacon (bacon!)
- couscous (more on that down below)
- Parmesan shreds
- sweet corn
- toasted pine nuts
- and a fresh basil dressing that blows all other dressings out of the water
Let’s Talk About Couscous
Couscous is sometimes referred to as a grain, but it’s actually more like pasta.
Itty bitty tiny pasta. (Israeli couscous is larger, but this recipe calls for smaller Moroccan couscous.)
The beauty of couscous is that it takes just minutes to cook. It’s fluffy, light, and is the perfect addition to this salad, adding texture, personality, and tastiness.
I use a box of roasted garlic and olive oil couscous (pretty widely available in many grocery stores). Flavor! But you can use regular bulk or bagged couscous. I’ve included a how-to in the notes of the recipe.
My best tip for yummy couscous? Cook it in broth instead of water.
Also, do you see those beautiful shards of Parmesan atop the salad?
Listen, you can dig into your Parmesan block however it makes you happy. BUT, if I can influence you to try cutting off thin strips with your vegetable peeler, I’ll feel like my work here is done.
If you haven’t shredded Parm like this before, you’ll feel like a rockstar and have a restaurant-level salad staring you in the face.
Crazy Delicious Fresh Basil Dressing
A quick note about this ridiculous dressing:
As if the salad ingredients weren’t delicious enough on their own, this dressing, delightfully heavy on the fresh basil, takes it straight over the top.
Creamy and light, it can be made several days in advance. Just beware of the risk of doing so: it may be gone before you need it for the salad. It’s so good!
Fresh basil is pretty imperative to the dressing. Dried basil or other fresh herbs won’t be as yummy. It’s worth waiting for fresh basil!
Make it a meal…or not
I’ve served this a couple of times with grilled chicken. Either alongside or diced and thrown into the salad.
INCREDIBLE.
But it also makes a fantastic side dish for just about any meal, and it’s the perfect salad to bring to a BBQ, potluck, or friend’s house for dinner.
This is definitely one of those recipes that will make your life infinitely better. I’m so excited to finally get it in front of you!
One Year Ago: Amazing Grilled Pork and Veggie Salad
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Three Years Ago: 5-Minute Hot Fudge Sauce {Three Flavors!}
Four Years Ago: Cuban Sandwiches {Slow Cooker or Instant Pot}
Five Years Ago: Caramel Pecan White + Dark Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
Six Years Ago: Spinach, Apple & Gouda Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Seven Years Ago: Vanilla Funfetti Mug Cake {Egg and Dairy Free}
Eight Years Ago: Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice
Nine Years Ago: Black Bottom Pudding Pie
Ten Years Ago: Smothered Pork Chops {Slow Cooker}
Loaded Fresh Basil and Sweet Corn Couscous Green Salad
Ingredients
Fresh Basil Dressing:
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup mayonnaise (see note)
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallot or green onion
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch black pepper
Salad:
- 1 box (5.8 ounces) roasted garlic and olive oil couscous (see note)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 12-15 cups chopped romaine lettuce (see note)
- 6-8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped
- 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (thaw frozen corn before using)
- ½ cup freshly grated or peeled Parmesan cheese (see note)
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- For the dressing: combine all the ingredients in a blender together and process until smooth. Refrigerate until needed. Dressing can be made several days in advance (flavor gets better with time).
- For the salad: make the couscous by bringing the chicken broth and olive oil to a simmer in a saucepan on the stovetop. Stir in the couscous and the seasoning packet (if using the roasted garlic variety). Cover the saucepan and let sit for 5-7 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature before using.
- In a large serving bowl, add the romaine lettuce, cooled couscous, cranberries, bacon, cheese, corn, and pine nuts.
- Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine (or serve dressing on the side).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from Si at A Bountiful Kitchen (halved dressing and changed up ingredients reducing mayo, swapped out a few of the salad ingredients)
This recipe is amazingly delicious! It will be on repeat at my house!
Coming back to make this for the first time this year. Made it at least once a week last summer, SO FANTASTIC. I add grilled chicken to make it a complete meal. Thanks for such a wonderful meal!
Absolutely love this salad. I’ve been waiting for my basil to start growing so that I can harvest it for this salad. However, I’m getting impatient. I have pesto that needs to be used. Do you think that pesto would be a good substitute for the basil in the dressing? Any idea how much pesto would be the equivalent of the 1/2 cup called for?
I think that’s a good idea for a reasonable basil substitution! I would probably cut back or omit the salt in the dressing if using pesto. And I’d say 1/4 cup pesto would be a good starting place
Thanks, Mel. I made it with pesto and it turned out great. Not quite as good as with fresh basil, but it was really good. I had frozen the pesto in an ice cube tray, so I used two cubes, which should be about 1/4 cup and it was about right. Served it with some leftover chicken for a main dish salad and loved it.
This is one of my favorite recipes on your site! I make it every few weeks and it is always a hit whenever I need to bring a side to an event. I have substituted the mayo for plain nonfat Greek yogurt with good results. The dressing is slightly thinner, but I prefer the healthier option.
I’ve made a dressing similar to this but use avocado and nonfat plain Greek yogurt. Use a little lemon to keep the dressing from browning as quickly because of the avocado. The fresh basil makes it amazing though!
Holy Cow this salad was amazing! The dressing was over the top fantastic! Thank you Mel!
I made this for lunch today with a few alternations. I tightly packed the 1/2 cup of basil (and we still though it could use more), used only 2 tablespoons of vinegar in the dressing, omitted the cranberries and added chopped tomato and avocado (had to get them used up). Regular couscous worked fine.
By far my favorite salad. It has an amazing fresh flavor and it has gotten rave reviews from friends and family. I cut the vinegar in 1/2 and have found that the flavors seem to meld together better on the dressing if you make it the day before.
Thanks for the feedback, Elena!
I’m really looking forward to this salad! But I have two questions about the dressing, which I made last night…
1. It’s really, really thin. Should it be?
2. Should I have used white AND green parts of a green onion, or just the white?
Thanks for any help!
Hi Kim, I use the white and green parts of the green onions. As for consistency, it is on the thin side (it’s not super thick)
I was a little unsure of the combo of ingredients but ended up loving it! Really yummy!
This was fast, easy and SO delicious!! Served it for lunch and it was perfect!!
Delicious! I made this the other day when my sister came over for lunch. She texted me the next day saying she was still thinking about this salad because it was so good. I wasn’t sure about how all the ingredients would come together but you always have the best recipes so I gave it a try and it is a winner!
Holy moly, this is so good. I’m making it for my third party in as many weeks tonight. It blows people away. I was super skeptical at first because I’m not a big basil fan, but this dressing is life changing. The pine nuts alone are transcendent, but pair them with the bacon and you have something truly divine.
Love this! It seems like a strange combination *at first*….but wow! A flavor explosion that I have been making almost weekly now. Thanks so much for the fantastic recipe!
This is sensational! I’ve made it 3 times on the last two weeks. Exactly as written pretty much — lol icus fed the couscous out for quino and brown rice. Our vegan and meat eaters alike love it. Sensational dressing.
I made this for family and a friend who recently had a baby. Both were raving about it!
Fantastic summer salad! I was so happy to have something new/different to bring to a 4th of July gathering and had multiple people say “Who brought this??” All credit goes to Mel! The basil dressing is perfect!
I LOVE THIS SALAD! I’m late commenting–I’ve made it many many times and it’s amazing as written. I *love* the basil dressing. The only sad part is when I can’t source fresh corn on the cob for the corn –fresh summer corn makes it absolutely top notch!!! Frozen has worked in a pinch, but not as amazing.
My fave salad for sure! I’m excited to try your adjustments.
Absolutely the best salad I’ve had in years. The combination of flavors blew me away. The box of couscous I had was pearled couscous instead of the tiny and fluffy couscous pictured, but it still was great on the salad! Do not underestimate this recipe–it is five stars for sure.
Love reading your reviews, Megan! Thank you!
How would you cook fresh corn on the cob for this recipe?
This is my favorite method: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfect-corn-on-the-cob/
It took me a few weeks to make this, but I will be making this on the regular now. I have teenage boys who don’t exactly love salad except they wanted seconds of this one. Zero complaints! It was bright and had the perfect crunch with the pine nuts and romaine. Yum. Thank you for another stellar recipe.
Thanks, Sheila! If the teenage boys love it, that’s a sure sign it is a winner!
The flavor combination in this salad is perfection. I had leftovers the next day and the salad dressing was even better the next day. The next time I make it I will purposefully make it the day before as well as the couscous.
Thanks, Elena! I agree that making several of the components a day ahead of time is a brilliant idea!
Another awesome recipe Mel. Just made this for a big family dinner & everyone raved about it. It was delicious, & I’m sure I’ll be making it again & again.
Thanks, Tracey! Always so happy when you guys make the recipes I post and let me know what you thought about them!
It was really, really good! I was a little skeptical of the basil dressing cause I’m not always a basil fan, but wow! It was perfect for this salad.
I’m glad the dressing won you over, Serena! Thanks for letting me know!
The dressing is incredible – we have used it on a few different salad configurations! But this salad as written is delicious. We like to do it “salad bar style” and assemble each plate on the spot so the kids can pick what they like best. I feel like storing everything separately in the fridge also lets us have leftovers for a few extra days. Yum!
Thanks, Jenna! Serving this as a build-your-own salad is a great idea. 🙂
This. SALAD. Holy cow, Mel! I made it tonight for dinner with my family and my parents, and EVERYONE raved about it. My favorite part were the comments from my teenagers who are self proclaimed “anti-salad” unless it’s a Caesar salad that I make. It’s the only salad they will eat.
As with all new foods, I still make them at least try it. My pickiest of the picky 17 year old told me he doesn’t like salad, but if he had to pick a second salad to my Caesar salad that he would actually eat, this would be it. My 14 year old gave it a 9/10 in the world of salads, the 19 being reserved for her beloved Caesar salad. I know that you as a fellow mom of teenagers get how high that praise really is! My husband told me later tonight that it might be the best salad he’s ever had… wow!
And, this praise is with me having to make a substitution of orzo in place of the couscous (forgot to buy the couscous at the store). I tossed it in a bit of garlic olive oil and we really liked it. I also forgot to add in the cheese (ugh)! But it still was AMAZING!!!
Oh my goodness, Shayness, I was grinning like crazy reading your comment. I’m SO glad this was a hit with your kids. They’re amazing and I’m so proud of them for trying something new!!
OMgoodness! This salad is the perfect summer salad and the dressing is divine. I followed the recipe as is but couldn’t find the garlic couscous so I used Parmesan instead. As others have mentioned, I think quinoa would be a nice swap for a GF option. And using a vegetable pellet to shave the Parmesan cheese was a great idea!
*peeler
Again, so so so good!
Thanks for the review!
Well hello new favorite salad! I served this to guests last night along with your lemon grilled chicken and super soft chocolate chip cookies (because what’s a meal without at least 2-3 Mel recipes?) and it was divine! Some were a little skeptical because of the unique combo of ingredients but everyone loved it! That fresh basil dressing is magic! Thanks for another hit Mel!
Haha, you’re the best, Aubrey! So happy you loved this one – sounds like a stellar meal!
My whole family loved this. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Thanks, Jocelyn!
I made this for lunch yesterday. YUM! Thanks, Mel! I did cut back on the basil in the dressing, because I love basil, but find it often a bit overwhelming. I also used Monterey Jack cheese because I had it on hand. I’m looking forward to more today!
Thanks, Jolyn!
Another really great salad, Thanks, Mel! I have a few picky kids, so I didn’t combine everything, but served it all “salad bar“ style. I paired it with the lemon garlic grilled chicken you suggested, and it was all very delicious! That dressing is so tangy and light, with the fresh basil kick. I should have doubled it so I’d have a bunch leftover. Thanks again!!
Thanks for the review, Kamber! Love the idea of serving this as a make-your-own type of salad!
I really liked this recipe–such an interesting mixture of flavours and textures and what a wonderful dressing! Your advice about the parmesan is spot on!
Unfortunately, I was unable to find the garlic couscous–do you have any ideas what sort of spices go into the seasoning pack that comes with it? I was wondering if maybe I can replicate it myself although I am not sure how to create a roasted garlic flavour (short of roasting my own garlic).
Hi James, the spices are pretty mild in the box of garlic couscous. You’d probably get even better flavor with your own spices. If it were me, when boiling the broth for couscous, I’d add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pinch of black pepper and then 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced.
I don’t normally make substitutions the first time I make a recipe, but I really wanted to try it so I subbed quinoa for the couscous. It was a winner in my family. Thanks for the many great recipes/meals from you to our home!
I don’t normally make substitutions the first time I make a recipe, but I really wanted to try it so I subbed quinoa for the couscous. It was a winner in my family. Thanks for the many great recipes/meals from you to our home!
Thanks for the comment and review, Trisha – glad it worked out ok with quinoa!
Made this for dinner last night. Truly amazing. Even my husband, who is not a fan of couscous, loved it! I think the Basil dressing puts it over the top. Thank you for another great salad to add to our summer dinner rotations!
Thank you, Lynn!
This was a great salad! So flavourful with the garlic and olive oil couscous. I was a little skeptical when I made the dressing and it was quite thin, but it all worked out in the end and was delicious. I will definitely make it again.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Megan – glad you enjoyed this one!
Michelle
Idk why I’m always amazed – I know your recipes are amazing but they seem to get better and better – this is something so out of my usual but it is absolutely divine!!!! Thank you Mel!!!
Thank you so much, Barbara! It’s really fun for me to post a salad like this (that I loved so much) and see others love it as much as I do.
A truly unique salad – absolutely delicious, very satisfying and easy to make. The fresh basil dressing is wonderful. Because pine nuts are so expensive now, I substituted toasted slivered almonds. Will definitely make this many times in the future.
Toasted almonds sound delicious in this. Thanks, Judy!
When needing any recipe I ALWAYS go to “Mels” I’ve got 3 girls and they know you too. So many of our family favorites are your recipes and I feel like I am more confident in my kitchen skills because of your willingness to share your recipes and know-how. . I was ready to start the summer salad season and turned to this recipe. It is such a pretty salad and so delicious! Will absolutely be making this again and again!!!
This salad was so good! Even my picky husband, who isn’t a salad person, enjoyed it! I cut the recipe in half and it worked beautifully. All the flavors come together perfectly!
Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Jamie!
This so good. I will make this again for sure. I think next time I will swap the couscous out for acini di pipi pasta. Great dressing and I can’t wait for the leftovers!
Great idea on a sub for the couscous! Even a pasta like ditalini would be great, I think!
I made this for lunch today and am actually eating it while I type this 🙂
This is a unique salad and that is why I like it. I love all the flavors and textures. This will be on repeat all summer.
I love unique salads (with a lot going on), too, Michelle! I’m happy you liked this one!
I made this for dinner tonight. That dressing is scrumptious! I subbed pepitas for the pine nuts because that is what I had. It took a bit to make all the components (cook corn, cook couscous, cook bacon, make dressing, chop lettuce) but it was well worth it.
Thanks for letting me know what you thought about this salad, Laura!
If I wanted to make this dairy-free could I just omit the buttermilk? Thank you
I think the dressing would be a bit too thick. I’d suggest adding almond milk in place of the buttermilk
I am newly gluten-free — what could I use instead of the couscous? Thanks.
How about chilled riced cauliflower?
I am GF too. I am going to try it with quinoa.
That is my plan as well! ❤️
Hi Ellen, I think the suggestions others have made are great – I think well-seasoned quinoa would be wonderful!
I’m trying this gluten-free too! I can order GF Israeli couscous from Amazon, or get GF quinoa locally. Which would you suggest? And when you refer to “well seasoned” quinoa, how would you season that?
Hi Julie – Israeli couscous is much larger than the couscous I use for this, and I think it might affect how the overall salad kind of jives, so I think I’d go with quino. I would cook the quinoa in broth (vs water) and a pinch of salt and pepper and maybe even garlic powder.
This sounds so so good! I adore salads! I rarely comment, but like another commenter have loved your recipes for years. I regularly make your pizza rolls and your cheese ball is a staple around here!
Thank you so much, Jennifer!
I saw this recipe this morning while looking up the Yumm sauce recipe. I added the ingredients to my shopping list and it’s what was for dinner ! It was a hit! Thanks Mel!
Thanks for making it so fast, Barbara – and for taking the time to let me know what you thought!
What a unique salad ! I’m growing two types of fresh basil so I will definitely make that dressing..yum. I hope you are doing well, Mel. I remember finding your blog when my kids were toddlers, now they are off to middle school. I can’t believe I’ve “known you” for like 9 years, you’re a friend in my head, and I wish you well. You’ve provided my family with a lot of amazing food and you turned me into a bread and pizza and cinnamon roll making rock star lol..Thank you !!
Gigi, me too! My oldest are headed to high school!
Thank you so much, Gigi! Comments like this really, truly are the reason I keep blogging. I appreciate you so much!
This looks delicious! Would it be acceptable to substitute the couscous for quinoa?
Yes, I think you could!