Shrimp Couscous Mediterranean Salad Recipe

This is the best Mediterranean Salad recipe! It’s a Copycat Panera Bread Mediterranean Couscous Salad made with crisp romaine lettuce, shrimp, pearl couscous, sweet peppers, feta, and an amazing homemade Greek Dressing. Impress your guests with this light and refreshing summer dish! 

We love recreating Restaurant favorites like this Panera Bread Frontega Chicken Panini Sandwich Recipe and Cobb Salad with Green Goddess Dressing. It’s better at home for a fraction of the price.  This is a leafy green Mediterranean Couscous salad with added shrimp and larger pearl couscous.  Pearl couscous are chewier pasta beads, whereas Moroccan couscous is smaller and cooks fluffy.

There is a difference in size and texture when it comes to couscous, but in my opinion, pearl couscous adds phenomenal texture and delicious nutty flavor. 

It sometimes goes by the name Israeli couscous and is added with greens in this recipe. You don’t have to toast them, and they cook in a pinch! 

Panera Mediterranean Salad

Many years ago, Panera had an awesome Mediterranean Shrimp Couscous Salad. It was such a bummer when they removed it from the menu. 

It was a chopped leafy green salad full of Greek Mediterranean flavor! The pearl couscous was cold and chewy, adding the perfect texture to the leafy greens. 

The addition of shrimp made it light and refreshing, and the Greek salad dressing was delicious, as with everything. Think of it as Mediterranean Greens with Grains (chewy pasta made from durum wheat, also known as semolina flour). 

This copycat Panera salad dressing is also used in their signature Greek salad, so you can use it in all of your favorite Greek salads! They also use it in their Mediterranean Greens with Grains salad. 

Now, you can make it at home with incredible flavor! Everyone in our family loved this Mediterranean Salad, even the little ones. It looks like a fancy salad, but it’s not difficult.

Mediterranean Salad Ingredients:

This is a very simple Greek Mediterranean salad with so much flavor! You’ll need:

• 1 large head of Romaine lettuce (or two small heads). Leafy green lettuce is the base of this salad. 
• Medium-sized cooked shrimp- thawed or Boil Shrimp if using raw shrimp. When buying raw shrimp, choose large ones as they cook smaller. 
• Half of an onion- sliced (red onions are best, but yellow onions will work too).
• Crumbled Feta cheese 
• Pearl couscous: Make it according to the package instructions, then drain and rinse with cold water and toss in 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. You can prep these days in advance and keep it refrigerated. 
• Kalamata Olives, pitted. They’re rich, fruity, and have a slightly salty flavor. 
• Sweet Red Bell peppers—roasted red bell peppers from a jar are a good choice if you like them more zesty than sweet cherry peppers. 
• Homemade Greek Salad Dressing- is zesty, tangy, and full of Mediterranean herbs! Here is a favorite store-bought dressing in a cinch! 

Note: We’ve tested this salad with roasted bell peppers and hot Calabrese peppers (sweet cherry peppers). I think the sweet peppers add a nice zippy flavor. Add only a teaspoon if you like a little heat, or look for the mild Peppadew peppers. 

How To Make Pearl Couscous: 

Pearl couscous is a small, spherical, and slightly chewy pasta, sometimes called Israeli couscous. It is very easy to make and takes minutes on the stovetop. Follow the instructions on the package or container. Pearl couscous is boiled to perfection and topped cold over romaine lettuce. 

• Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. 
• Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 cup of washed and rinsed uncooked couscous.
• Then bring it back to a boil, then cover and simmer for 8 minutes. 
• Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to prevent it from cooking. Toss with one teaspoon of olive oil and keep covered in an airtight container in the fridge until needed. 

How To Make Mediterranean Salad Dressing: 

This Greek salad dressing recipe comes together so fast! You only need a pint-sized mason jar and a good shake to emulsify the vinaigrette dressing. It’s light, healthy, and packed with tons of flavor! 

• Combine the vinaigrette ingredients (oils, lemon juice, different kinds of vinegar, dijon mustard, parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder) in a pint-sized mason jar. 
• Cover the jar with a lid and shake it well until the dressing is emulsified and well combined. 
• Season with more salt or pepper to taste (but we think it’s perfect). 

Note: This dressing makes plenty. Always shake before drizzling over salads, and use leftovers to marinate meat, salads, or dip bread. 

How to Make Mediterranean Salad with Couscous and Shrimp:

This Mediterranean shrimp couscous salad will impress your guests! It’s protein-rich, chewy, and so flavorful with the Greek dressing. Pearl couscous is easy to cook and takes no longer than thawing your shrimp. 

1. Make the pearl couscous according to the box instructions. 
2. If thawing frozen cooked shrimp, fully drain and pat dry. 
3. Chop the lettuce. Wash lettuce and spin dry.
4. Place the chopped lettuce into a large mixing bowl. Top with couscous, sliced onions, feta cheese, kalamata olives, shrimp, and roasted sweet bell peppers.
5. Gently coat the lettuce in Greek dressing. This dressing recipe makes enough for four salads, so you can make it several times throughout the week. 

Pro Tip: For a true chopped salad, chop your lettuce in a criss-cross motion. This makes the lettuce pieces uneven and gives them a torn look, unlike uniform pieces. 

Mediterranean Salad Ideas and Variations:

Although we think this recipe for Mediterranean salad is perfect, here are some easy swaps and substitutes. 

• Farro or Orzo can be replaced with pearl couscous for a chewy texture. Adding whole grains to salads makes it healthier and more satisfying! 
• Kale or cabbage can be added for extra crunch.
• Protein- change it up with grilled chicken or chickpeas (for a vegetarian protein).
• Jarred roasted Bell peppers- can be substituted with pickled sweet cherry peppers for a more zesty flavor. Roasted bell peppers are mild, and cherry peppers are more tart. 
• Chopped Veggie Salad: If you’re out of lettuce, you can load up on veggies and shrimp to make it a couscous salad with chopped veggies. 

Make Ahead: 

This Mediterranean Couscous Salad is fantastic for making ahead of time! Pearl couscous stores well in the fridge after preparation. It can be kept in an airtight container for up to four to five days.

I like to keep my lettuce spinner out to a minimum, so using it the day before and spin-drying the lettuce saves me time later. Store the chopped lettuce in a gallon-sized storage bag with a damp paper towel for up to 2 days. Try to remove as much air as possible. (It keeps well and is ready for use.) 

I love that most of the toppings store well for this salad, making it great to throw together anytime. Even when certain things are out of season, such as the jarred peppers, the protein can be easily thawed for use.