Mediterranean Couscous
This recipe requires a dehydrator.
Don’t have one? Check out our dehydrator-free Just Add Water recipes !
This post may contain ambassador, sponsored or affiliate links. Feel free to read my disclosure policy.
High in carbs, protein and Vitamin C, this tasty vegetarian meal will keep you full and energized! It can also be made vegan.
Dietary Preferences: High-carb, vegetarian, dairy-free*, vegan* (if omitting feta cheese)
Approximate weight (per serving): 75g
Macronutrients (per serving):
Carb Energy
76g | 304 kcal
Protein Power
84g | 176 kcal
Fat Fuel
108g | 45 kcal
Learn more about the importance of macronutrients in your outdoor adventure meal plan
Mediterranean Couscous Ingredients
Before you go running to the store, let me give you the inside scoop on the key ingredients:
Couscous
Top nutrients: carbs, protein, fiber
Feel free to use original or flavoured couscous
Feta Cheese
Top nutrients: calcium, calcium, sodium
Feel free to use your preferred brand, whether regular or light. If you’re using a block of feta, simply chop or crumble it—or save time by opting for pre-crumbled feta.
Tomatoes
Top nutrients: vitamin C, lycopene, potassium
Any variety of tomato will do! Although you can use canned, I highly recommend using fresh tomatoes for the best flavour.
Bell Peppers
Top nutrients: vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6
Although I opt for green in this recipe, you can use any bell pepper variety.
Red Onion
Top nutrients: antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber
Red onion is most ideal because they retain a pleasantly mild and sweet flavour when rehydrated – even when dehydrated raw.
Olives
Top nutrients: healthy fats, vitamin E, iron
Black olives are recommended, but feel free to use any variety you like. Fresh or canned both work—just steer clear of those marinated in oil. For convenience, go with pitted olives to save yourself the extra step.
Greek Seasoning
Top nutrients: vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A
For simplicity, you can use pre-made greek seasoning. Alternatively, you can make your own by combining oregano, thyme, parsley, marjoram, onion powder & garlic powder
Salt
Top nutrient: sodium
Table, kosher, sea, himalayan… whatever salt you have will do!
Black Pepper
Top nutrients: manganese, iron, vitamin K
Like my dad says : “I’m not saying I put black pepper on everything, but if it doesn’t have black pepper, I’m probably not eating it.”
How to dehydrate the ingredients
Dehydrating ingredients is a straightforward process, especially with a bit of planning. Prepping your ingredients in advance helps you make the most efficient use of your time. If your dehydrator has enough space, group ingredients that require the same temperature and dehydrate them together. Simply set the timer for the longest drying time needed among those ingredients, and let the dehydrator do the rest.
Vegetables
135℉
~8-10 hours
Cheese
135℉
~8-10 hours
Prepping Ingredients for Dehydration
The ingredients in this recipe are simple and require minimal prep—just a bit of chopping before dehydrating. For extra tips and tricks on handling each ingredient, click the links below:
Check out our shop!
A collection of handy knick-knacks to elevate your outdoor cooking experience
Storage Instructions
Here are some tips to help you maximize the shelf life of your Mediterranean Couscous:
- Allow ingredients to cool after dehydrating before combining and storing
- Keep stored in a sealable container or bag in a cool, dry and dark place
- Using Mylar bags or vacuum sealing can extend the shelf life by up to three times its normal duration! This is useful if you’re prepping lots for longer term use. Learn the pros and cons of each in our post: The Ultimate Guide to Long-Term Food Storage: Mylar Bags vs. Vacuum Sealing (Bags & Jars)
When dried and stored properly, your Mediterranean Couscous should keep at room temperature for 2-3 weeks (if including feta) or several years (without feta); with or without feta will stay fresh for a few years in the freezer.
FYI:
Feta cheese and olives are considered higher-risk ingredients when it comes to at-home dehydrating for long-term storage. For added food safety, consider storing your prepped meal in the freezer until you’re ready to head out on your trip.
To learn more about high risk ingredients, check out our post Dehydrating Dont’s: Foods to Avoid and Ingredients to Handle With Care
How to Rehydrate Mediterranean Couscous
Keep in mind that the amount of water and time required may slightly vary.
Note: If omitting feta cheese, decrease the water used by 1/4 cup
Simmer & Soak (*preferred method)
- Combine dehydrated ingredients in a pot with 1 1/4 cup water; cover with a lid
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for 2-3 minutes
- Turn off or remove from heat and let sit for an additional 5 minutes
- Stir & enjoy
*The simmer-and-soak method is preferred because the added heat and water movement usually results in better rehydrated texture – plus, it’s faster!
Just add water
- Add 1 1/4 cup boiling water
- Stir well
- Let sit for 15 minutes
- Stir & enjoy
Rehydrating Tips:
- Use a container with a lid to contain as much heat as possible… Have a packable insulated container? Even better.
- After soak time is finished, add more hot water if you find the meal dry or crunchy.
More "Just Add Water" recipes:
More dehydrated recipes:
Mediterranean Couscous FAQ's
Can I add more vegetables?
Sure you can! Just remember that you’ll need to increase – or decrease – the amount of water you use when rehydrating.
Can I use an oven to dehydrate the ingredients?
No, most ovens don’t operate at low enough temperatures for dehydrating (most ovens can go down to 135℉ at the lowest). If the temperature is too high, you risk either cooking the ingredients or causing “case hardening,” where the outer layer hardens, trapping moisture inside and preventing proper drying.
Mediterranean Couscous
High in carbs, protein and Vitamin C, this tasty vegetarian meal will keep you full and energized! It can also be made vegan. COOKING METHOD: Dehydrating
Notable Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
Ingredients
- ½ cup couscous
- 3-4 tbsp dehydrated feta cheese, omit if making vegan or dairy-free, see notes for rehydrating adjustments
- 2 tbsps dehydrated or sundried tomatoes
- 2 tbsps dehydrated green bell peppers
- 1 tbsp dehydrated red onions
- 1 tbsp dehydrated olives
- ½ tbsp greek seasoning (or combo of oregano, thyme, parsley, marjoram, onion powder & garlic powder)
- ⅙ tsp pepper
- 1-2 dashes salt
Instructions
- Simply combine all ingredients in a sealable container.
SPECIFIC DEHYDRATING INSTRUCTIONS:
Dehydrating Feta Cheese:
- 1. Chop or crumble and spread out feta cheese in dehydrator (it’s best to use a mesh liner) and dehydrate at 135℉ for approx 10 hours.
- Note: Because they require the same temperature, you can dehydrate the feta and vegetables at the same time.
Dehydrating Vegetables:
- 1. Dice green bell pepper (devein and remove seeds), into somewhat congruent sized pieces
- 2. Slice olives into ⅛ thick slices (if not pre-sliced)
- 3. Slice onions and tomatoes into approx ¼" thick rounds (chop into smaller pieces once dehydrated) This is less tedious and help retain more of their flavour
- 4. Arrange vegetables on a mesh lined dehydrating tray with enough room for air to circulate between the pieces (avoid over lapping as much as possible).
- 5. Place in dehydrator and dehydrate at 135°F for about 8-10 hours.
- Note: Because they require the same temperature, you can dehydrate the feta and vegetables at the same time.
Notes
- Feta cheese & olives are considered higher-risk ingredients when it comes to at-home dehydrating for long-term storage. For added food safety, consider storing your prepped meal in the freezer until you’re ready to head out on your trip. To learn more about high risk ingredients, check out our post Dehydrating Dont’s: Foods to Avoid and Ingredients to Handle With Care
- Pro-tip: Label the container you're storing it in with the rehydrating instructions
- If omitting feta cheese: reduce the amount of water to rehydrate by 1/4 cup
- Dehydrating time may vary (the thickness, water and fat content of the ingredients, as well as the humidity and altitude of your environment will impact dehydrating time)
- How to dehydrate feta cheese
- How to dehydrate tomatoes
- How to dehydrate bell peppers
- How to dehydrate onion
- How to dehydrate olives
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 21gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 581mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9g
Tried this recipe?
Click on the stars to leave a rating!
Share:
Leave a comment or question:
0 Comments
The Foodie Behind the Screen
Hi there! I'm Bri. I'm sharing my love for cooking - and the outdoors - one recipe at a time.
Top Related Posts:
Mediterranean Couscous
Mediterranean Couscous
High in carbs, protein and Vitamin C, this tasty vegetarian meal will keep you full and energized! It can also be made vegan. COOKING METHOD: Dehydrating
Notable Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
Ingredients
- ½ cup couscous
- 3-4 tbsp dehydrated feta cheese, omit if making vegan or dairy-free, see notes for rehydrating adjustments
- 2 tbsps dehydrated or sundried tomatoes
- 2 tbsps dehydrated green bell peppers
- 1 tbsp dehydrated red onions
- 1 tbsp dehydrated olives
- ½ tbsp greek seasoning (or combo of oregano, thyme, parsley, marjoram, onion powder & garlic powder)
- ⅙ tsp pepper
- 1-2 dashes salt
Instructions
- Simply combine all ingredients in a sealable container.
SPECIFIC DEHYDRATING INSTRUCTIONS:
Dehydrating Feta Cheese:
- 1. Chop or crumble and spread out feta cheese in dehydrator (it’s best to use a mesh liner) and dehydrate at 135℉ for approx 10 hours.
- Note: Because they require the same temperature, you can dehydrate the feta and vegetables at the same time.
Dehydrating Vegetables:
- 1. Dice green bell pepper (devein and remove seeds), into somewhat congruent sized pieces
- 2. Slice olives into ⅛ thick slices (if not pre-sliced)
- 3. Slice onions and tomatoes into approx ¼" thick rounds (chop into smaller pieces once dehydrated) This is less tedious and help retain more of their flavour
- 4. Arrange vegetables on a mesh lined dehydrating tray with enough room for air to circulate between the pieces (avoid over lapping as much as possible).
- 5. Place in dehydrator and dehydrate at 135°F for about 8-10 hours.
- Note: Because they require the same temperature, you can dehydrate the feta and vegetables at the same time.
Notes
- Feta cheese & olives are considered higher-risk ingredients when it comes to at-home dehydrating for long-term storage. For added food safety, consider storing your prepped meal in the freezer until you’re ready to head out on your trip. To learn more about high risk ingredients, check out our post Dehydrating Dont’s: Foods to Avoid and Ingredients to Handle With Care
- Pro-tip: Label the container you're storing it in with the rehydrating instructions
- If omitting feta cheese: reduce the amount of water to rehydrate by 1/4 cup
- Dehydrating time may vary (the thickness, water and fat content of the ingredients, as well as the humidity and altitude of your environment will impact dehydrating time)
- How to dehydrate feta cheese
- How to dehydrate tomatoes
- How to dehydrate bell peppers
- How to dehydrate onion
- How to dehydrate olives
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 21gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 581mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9g
Tried this recipe?
Click on the stars to leave a rating!
How to "rehydrate" before consuming:
- Add 3/4 cup boiling water
- Stir
- Let sit for approx. 10 mins
- Stir & enjoy
Rehydrating Tips:
- Use a container with a lid to contain as much heat as possible… Have a packable insulated container? Even better.
- After soak time is finished, add more hot water if you find the meal dry or crunchy.
Storage Guidelines:
- Keep stored in a sealable bag or container
- Tip: Vacuum sealing can more than triple the shelf life
- Keep stored in a cool, dry and dark place
- For longer term storage, store in your freezer (especially if not vacuum sealed)
- When dried and stored properly, this should have a shelf life of several months up to a few years.
Share this recipe:
Leave a comment:
0 Comments
The Foodie Behind the Screen
Hi there! I'm Bri.
I create and share nutritious and flavourful recipes for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
