Caprese Couscous Salad

# What You'll Need:

→ Couscous

01 - 1 cup pearled Israeli couscous

02 - 1 1/4 cups water

03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Salad

05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

06 - 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls, halved

07 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or sliced

08 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

09 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Dressing

10 - 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze

11 - 1 teaspoon honey, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring water, salt, and olive oil to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add pearled couscous, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.

02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled couscous, cherry tomatoes, halved mozzarella, and torn basil leaves.

03 - Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and toss gently to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

04 - Transfer salad to serving platter or bowl. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and add honey if desired for sweetness. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes for chilled presentation.

# Additional Tips::

01 -

It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all day thinking about flavor combinations
The texture contrast between tender couscous, juicy tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella is absolutely addictive
It travels beautifully and actually gets better as it sits, making it perfect for meal prep or picnics

02 -

Letting the couscous cool completely before mixing with the other ingredients prevents the mozzarella from melting prematurely
I learned the hard way that adding the balsamic glaze too early makes everything look uniformly brown instead of beautifully marbled
If your balsamic glaze is too thick to drizzle, warm it for just 10 seconds in the microwave

03 -