Herbed Pork Cutlets, Greek Vegetable Salad with Couscous, Cucumber

This is a full Greek-inspired dinner plate built around one versatile lemon-oregano marinade. The same mix of olive oil, lemon juice, fresh oregano, parsley, and garlic seasons the pork, dresses the vegetable salad, and flavors the cucumber side. One recipe, three components, zero waste.

The pork loin cutlets cook fast, just 3-4 minutes per side under the broiler or on the grill. Slice the loin thin (12 slices from 1 ½ pounds) so they cook quickly without drying out. A 15-minute marinade is all they need since the acid in the lemon juice starts working immediately on thin cuts.

Couscous steams itself off the heat while you cook the pork. Just boil the broth, stir in the couscous, cover, and walk away for 10 minutes. It’s the easiest starch you’ll ever make.

The Greek salad goes on top of the couscous with crumbled feta, so every forkful gets grain, vegetables, and cheese in one bite.

Pro Tips

• Don’t marinate the pork longer than 30 minutes; the lemon juice will start to “cook” the thin cutlets and turn them mealy
• Fluff the couscous with a fork after resting; it clumps if you skip this step
• Let the pork rest for 2 minutes after cooking so the juices redistribute

Variations

• Use chicken breast pounded thin instead of pork for a lighter version
• Swap couscous for orzo pasta for a more substantial grain base
• Add artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes to the Greek salad for a more loaded plate