Indulge in a culinary journey with our tantalizing collection of couscous recipes, where North African flavors harmoniously blend with vibrant vegetables and aromatic spices. Embark on a culinary adventure as you explore a diverse range of dishes, each offering a unique symphony of tastes and textures. From the classic Moroccan couscous with tender chicken and an array of colorful vegetables, to the vibrant vegetarian couscous bursting with the goodness of fresh produce, our recipes cater to every palate and dietary preference. Discover the secrets of preparing light and fluffy couscous, absorbing the delectable flavors of rich sauces and succulent meats. Unleash your creativity and experiment with different combinations of vegetables, herbs, and spices, transforming each dish into a culinary masterpiece. Whether you're seeking a hearty main course or a refreshing side dish, our couscous recipes promise an unforgettable dining experience. So, gather your ingredients, ignite your culinary passion, and let's embark on this delectable journey together.
Let's cook with our recipes!
PEARL COUSCOUS WITH TOMATO SAUCE
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories side-dish
Time 20m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 0
Steps:
- Cook 1 1/2 cups pearl couscous in boiling salted water, 4 to 5 minutes; drain. Cook 1 small diced red onion, 3 chopped garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until softened, 4 minutes. Add 1 cup packaged strained tomatoes, 1/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer until thick, 5 minutes. Stir in the couscous and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; season with salt and pepper. Top with more parsley.
VEGETABLE COUSCOUS
Looking for a different way to serve vegetables? These tiny pasta granules act like a magnet, pulling together the flavors of the chicken broth and vitamin-rich veggies. Carrots, celery, peppers and zucchini add fresh crunch and bright color.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a large skillet, saute the carrots, celery, onion and peppers in oil for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the next five ingredients. , Stir in couscous. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5-8 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 272 calories, Fat 8g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 513mg sodium, Carbohydrate 43g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 8g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
MOROCCAN TOMATO COUSCOUS RECIPE
Couscous cooked in a rich tomato sauce bursting with flavour! This Tomato Couscous Recipe is easy-to-follow and will soon become a household favourite! Serve this delicious side with fish, meat or veggies.
Provided by Jen Sim
Categories Main Course Side Dish
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat a splash of sunflower or vegetable oil in a medium-sized pot.
- Once the oil is hot pour one can of blended or well-chopped tomatoes into the pot.
- Add salt to taste, pepper to taste, 1/2 tbsp of 35 spices (optional Moroccan spice), 1/8 tsp of oregano, 1/8 tsp of marjoram, and 1-2 tbsp of tomato puree.
- Add 2-3 cups of water or chicken/vegetable stock to the pot. Stir the mixture and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Next, add 350 g of couscous to the pot.
- Stir the couscous. Leave to cook on low to medium heat for 7-10 minutes or until soft. Turn the couscous from time to time and add more water if necessary. Option to add 1/4 of thinly sliced onions.
- Once the couscous has softened add 1/2 to 1 tbsp of butter and use a fork to stir lightly. This will add moisture to the couscous.
- Don't forget to garnish with fresh parsley!
TOMATO AND COUSCOUS SOUP
This tomato soup is nutritious, delicious, easy-to-make and ready in just over 30 minutes. Serve hot, room temp or even cold. Use vegetable stock to make it vegetarian/vegan. This has been adapted from a Julie Le Clerc recipe.
Provided by Leggy Peggy
Categories Vegetable
Time 35m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook over moderate heat until onion is softened (about 10 minutes).
- Add the cumin and garlic, and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add couscous and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes, or until couscous is tender.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with fresh coriander (cilantro).
PEARL COUSCOUS WITH SAUTéED CHERRY TOMATOES
This is a simple dish with few ingredients and lots of flavor. The sauce, inspired by Melissa Clark's pasta with burst cherry tomatoes, is incredibly sweet and wraps itself around each nugget of couscous in the most delicious way. Cherry tomatoes break down in a hot pan in about five minutes, collapsing just enough to release some juice, which quickly thickens and caramelizes a bit. You want the tomatoes to stay partially intact so that you don't just get skins floating in sauce, but you need to cook them long enough to achieve the caramelized flavor that makes a tomato sauce sweet. You can cook the couscous a couple of days ahead and reheat in a pan with a little olive oil or in the microwave.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories main course
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add couscous. Toast couscous, shaking pan or stirring often, until it colors very lightly and smells aromatic and toasty, a bit like popcorn. Immediately add 2 quarts water and salt to taste (be generous, as if you are cooking pasta) and boil 10 minutes, until couscous is al dente; it should not be mushy, and there should still be plenty of water in the pot. Drain through a strainer and rinse with cold water. Tap strainer against sink to drain well, then return couscous to the pot, cover pot with a kitchen towel, and return lid. Let sit for 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
- In a wide, heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic. As soon as it begins to sizzle and smell fragrant, usually in about 30 seconds, add cherry tomatoes and turn heat up to medium-high. Add sugar, salt and basil sprig and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes collapse and skins shrivel. Some of the tomato pulp will be in the pan, and should thicken and caramelize slightly, but there should still be pulp inside the skins. This should only take about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and remove basil sprig. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add a little fresh pepper if desired.
- Add couscous to the pan along with slivered basil, stir together, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 301, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 50 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 9 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 1522 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams
ISRAELI COUSCOUS, EGGPLANT AND TOMATO GRATIN
This is an eggplant Parmesan of sorts on top of a bed of Israeli couscous. If you've made fresh tomato sauce over the summer or you're still getting wonderful tomatoes at the farmers' market, use fresh tomato sauce; otherwise, use canned tomatoes for your marinara sauce. You can substitute cooked grains for the Israeli couscous; if you don't tolerate gluten, try the recipe using cooked brown rice instead. I like to use Japanese or baby Italian eggplants for this.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat foil generously with olive oil. Toss eggplant slices with salt to taste and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Line baking sheet with the slices in a single layer (you may need 2 baking sheets, or do this in batches). Place in oven and roast for 15 minutes. Eggplant will look dry on surface but should be soft when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and, wearing oven mitts, carefully fold the foil up in half over the eggplant and crimp edges to create a sealed packet. Allow eggplant to steam inside the packet for another 15 minutes (you can cook couscous during this time). Turn oven down to 375 degrees.
- Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish with olive oil. Place cooked Israeli couscous in a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Spoon into baking dish in an even layer.
- Remove eggplant slices from foil packet (they should be thoroughly tender), and layer on top of couscous, overlapping slices slightly. Cover with remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Drizzle on remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes, until browned and bubbling. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with torn or slivered basil leaves just before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 361, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 56 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 13 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 625 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams
SEVEN-VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH CHUNKY ONION HARISSA
Steps:
- To make the couscous:
- Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over low heat. Add leeks and garlic. Cover and cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add stock and next 8 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring mixture to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, peas, cilantro, then couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.
- Fluff couscous with fork. Transfer to large platter. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve, passing Chunky Onion Harissa separately.
- To make the harissa
- Combine tomato paste, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper in bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Whisk in vinegar. Mix in onions and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Stir harissa well before using.)
COUSCOUS WITH TOMATOES, KALE AND CHICKPEAS
The topping for this couscous isn't too much more complicated than making a tomato sauce with blanched kale and chickpeas added. Reconstitute the couscous, then start the topping. By the time the topping is done the couscous will be ready to steam in the microwave.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, easy, main course
Time 45m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Begin heating a saucepan full of water for the kale. Put the couscous in a bowl, add salt to taste, and if desired, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Stir or rub between your fingers to distribute the oil (with the oil the couscous is a little fluffier, but you can omit this step). Cover with ½ inch of warm water or stock, if you have some. Let sit while you prepare the tomato sauce. Stir every once in a while to fluff.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a wide skillet or saucepan and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. As soon as the garlic begins to smell fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute), add the tomatoes, sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until thick and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasoning.
- By now the water in the pot will be boiling. Add salt to taste and the kale. Blanch for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender but still bright. Using a skimmer, transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine and stir into the tomato sauce, along with the chickpeas and cilantro. Keep warm.
- Cover the couscous bowl with plastic wrap, pierce in a few places and microwave for 2 minutes at full power. Remove from the microwave carefully, as the bowl will be hot. Carefully remove the plastic and fluff. Cover again and return to the microwave for 1 minute. Serve the couscous topped with the tomato and kale sauce.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 454, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 80 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 21 grams, Protein 19 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 1052 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams
COUSCOUS WITH OLIVES AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO
A delicate, flavorful dish that will satisfy vegans and carnivores alike! Inspired by my family's deep Coptic Orthodox Christian tradition, this is a great meal alternative during strict fasting times. It contains no animal products or fats, but has enough flavor and visual impact to make you feel like you're not sacrificing a thing! I hope you will enjoy this recipe. Add chicken or prawns to make this vegan dish a carnivorous delight!
Provided by Erin C. David
Categories World Cuisine Recipes African North African Egyptian
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Bring 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth and water to a boil in a saucepan, stir in couscous, and mix in salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; stir in pine nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until pine nuts smell toasted and are golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan; cook and stir garlic and shallot in the hot oil until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir black olives and sun-dried tomatoes into garlic mixture and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Slowly pour in 1 cup vegetable broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce has reduced, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer couscous to a large serving bowl, mix with sauce, and serve topped with parsley and pine nuts.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 527.7 calories, Carbohydrate 55.5 g, Fat 29.3 g, Fiber 5.4 g, Protein 13 g, SaturatedFat 4.1 g, Sodium 455.1 mg, Sugar 2.9 g
Tips:
- For the best results, use fresh vegetables. If you don't have fresh vegetables on hand, you can use frozen or canned vegetables. Just be sure to drain and rinse them well before using.
- If you don't have vegetable broth, you can use chicken broth or water. Just be sure to adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- If you like your sauce with a bit of a kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- To make the sauce creamier, stir in a dollop of sour cream or yogurt before serving.
- Serve the couscous with your favorite toppings, such as grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh herbs, or toasted nuts.
Conclusion:
This couscous with thick tomato vegetable sauce is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that's perfect for a weeknight meal. It's also a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables. The couscous is light and fluffy, while the sauce is rich and flavorful. Plus, the dish is packed with nutrients, thanks to the vegetables and beans. So next time you're looking for a quick and healthy meal, give this recipe a try.
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