No-Cook, No-Cooler Camp Couscous Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Crunchy Chickpeas
Stir couscous, dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes and dried herbs with cold water, lemon juice and olive oil in a lidded container. Let it sit 25 minutes with no stove or fire, then fluff it and fold in olives, almonds and crunchy roasted chickpeas. Total time is about 35 minutes, and every ingredient is shelf-stable, so no cooler is needed.
Illustrative Photo
This is a lunch for days when you don't want to light anything or haul ice. Couscous is the trick. It's pre-steamed, so it softens in cold water in about 25 minutes while you set up camp or rest your feet.
Everything rides in your pack or the food bin at air temperature. Lemon and olive oil keep it bright, olives and almonds add salt and richness, and roasted chickpeas on top give it crunch. It works as a trailside lunch or an easy dinner after a long drive.
No-Cook, No-Cooler Camp Couscous Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Crunchy Chickpeas
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- No heat (cold soak)
- Pack weight
- 1.5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- No cooler needed
- No stove
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Shelf-stable
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 1-quart lidded container or small pot with lid
- spoon and fork
- small knife
- 2 bowls or mugs
- squeeze bottle or small leakproof bottle for olive oil
Steps
-
Mix the dry base
Add the couscous, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and salt to a lidded container or pot with a lid. Stir with a spoon so the seasonings spread evenly.
-
Add the liquids
Pour in the cold water, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Stir well, scraping the bottom, then put the lid on.
-
Let it soak
Set the container in the shade and leave it for 25 minutes. Stir once at the halfway point so the top layer hydrates.
-
Check the texture
Taste a spoonful. If it's still crunchy or chalky, add 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir and wait 5 more minutes.
-
Fluff and season
Rake through the couscous with a fork to break up any clumps. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add salt and black pepper to taste.
-
Fold in the extras
Gently stir in the olives and sliced almonds. Let everything sit a minute so the flavors mix.
-
Top and serve
Divide the salad between two bowls or eat it straight from the container. Scatter the roasted chickpeas on top at the last second so they stay crunchy.
Trail Notes
Measure the couscous, tomatoes, oregano, garlic powder, pepper flakes and salt into one zip bag at home. At camp, dump it in the container and you're ready to add liquids.
Every ingredient is shelf-stable. Use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, not the oil-packed jar kind, and open the olive pouch only when you're ready to eat it all.
Want more protein? Fold in a pouch of tuna or salmon at the end, or a drained can of chickpeas if you're car camping and weight doesn't matter. Pepitas can stand in for the almonds.
Pack out the olive pouch, chickpea bag and lemon rinds. Nothing in this dish needs to be dumped, so there's no gray water to scatter.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
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LunchJust-Add-Water Southwest Black Bean and Rice Bowls
Snack or treatJust-Add-Water Chili-Lime Refried Bean Dip with Crispy ChipsMore backpacking meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
What can I eat camping with no cooking and no cooler?
Stick to shelf-stable foods that soften in cold water or need no prep, like couscous, tortillas, nut butter, hard cheese, olives, dried fruit, nuts and pouch fish. This couscous salad uses all of them.
Can couscous really cook in cold water?
Yes. Couscous is pre-steamed and dried, so it just needs to rehydrate. In cold water with a little oil it softens in about 25 minutes. Larger pearl couscous will not work with this method.
How long does cold-soaked couscous salad last at camp?
Eat it within a couple of hours. Once it's wet, don't leave it sitting in warm weather for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F. Pack out any leftovers.
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