French Taboulé

Written By Stéphanie Villard

A seasonal recipe from my kitchen to yours, straight from the French table.

This time, it's French Taboulé (also known as French Couscous Salad) — not to be confused with its Levantine cousin, Tabbouleh. A staple across French tables in the South during summer, it asks for no cooking at all and tastes like summer itself. Light, fragrant, and easy to prepare, it's built on fluffy couscous, crisp vegetables, sweet raisins, and a zesty lemon dressing. Perfect for potlucks, quick dinners, and lazy lunches.

Why you'll love it:

  • Fresh and flavorful — packed with herbs, seasonal veggies, and lemon juice

  • Quick to make — ready in under 30 minutes, plus chilling time

  • Great for meal prep — keeps well for days and travels easily

A taste of French summer, a classic side for warm-weather meals.

Ingredients

For the couscous

  • 1½ cup chicken broth (or water with ⅓ tsp salt)

  • 1½ cup (10oz) couscous

  • 2 tbsp (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil

  • ⅓ cup (50g) raisins, not packed

  • About 1½ cups (~200g) diced tomatoes

  • About 1½ cups (~200g) diced cucumber

  • ¼ red bell pepper, seeded and diced

  • ¼ green bell pepper, seeded and diced

  • ½ bunch fresh parsley (curly or flat), stemmed and chopped

  • 7–8 sprigs fresh mint, stemmed and chopped

For the dressing

  • 3 tbsp (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil

  • ½ tsp salt

  • ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

  • 1 tsp ground cumin

  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

  1. Soak the raisins in a bowl of water — enough to cover them completely — for at least 30 minutes.

  2. Place couscous in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and pour the boiling broth or water over it (the liquid should barely cover it). Stir with a fork, cover the bowl with a plate, and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let it cool to room temperature.

  3. Once cooled, stir in the diced peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, chopped parsley and mint, and the drained raisins.

  4. Add the dressing — salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, lemon juice, and olive oil — and stir to combine. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving, so the couscous and raisins can soak up the dressing and the flavors meld. It should have a slightly moist, pleasantly "chewy" texture once ready.

Stéphanie Villard