This Moroccan couscous recipe is a simplified, vegan version of the traditional dish, filled with sweet raisins, crunchy almonds and It might not be authentic, but it makes for an easy, flavorful side dish. Serve it warm with roasted vegetables or your favorite protein.
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Why I love this Moroccan couscous recipe
Side dishes can be hard sometimes. For me, they tend to be an afterthought, which means they can get be pretty basic – like roasted broccoli or mashed potatoes.
But, this year, I decided to give side dishes the time of day, and I’ve intentionally been working on more easy, flavorful side dish recipes, like saffron rice, Instant Pot baked beans and kale salad with homemade caesar dressing.
I made this Moroccan couscous to pair with my sweet and spicy shrimp with homemade Moroccan seasoning, but I’ve also served it with my meatball tagine recipe, too. I wanted it to pair well together without overdoing the seasonings, so I just added a hint of cumin and cinnamon with a mix of raisins and toasted nuts.
I used almonds, but you can use any nuts you have on hand (maybe not peanuts, but they might work). I think toasted pine nuts or pistachios would be a great option.
What is couscous?
Before we go any further, I just want to touch on this in case couscous is new to you. Couscous is basically a super tiny pasta made from durum or semolina wheat flour.
It ranges in size from tiny, like I used in this recipe, or a bit larger, like you can see in this pearl couscous recipe.
Sauté the savories. Heat a large saucepan to medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic and spices to the pan. Sauté them until the onions are translucent, stirring them as need to prevent burning.
Boil the vegetable broth. When the onions are soft and see-through, add the broth. Cover the pot, increase the heat and bring it to a boil.
Add the couscous. Remove the pot from the heat and add the couscous, salt & pepper to the boiling broth. Return the cover and let the couscous sit, with not heat, until it absorbs all of the liquid.
Garnish and serve. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the raisins, almonds and parsley before serving.
Frequently asked questions:
What can I add to couscous for flavor?
Vegetable broth can do a great deal for the flavor of couscous, as can salt. I used that as a base for this recipe and other savory ingredients, like onion, garlic and herbs, to add even more flavor.
Should I rinse couscous before cooking?
No. Unlike grains such as quinoa and rice, you don’t need to rinse couscous before cooking.
How do you keep couscous moist?
A little fat goes a long way in keeping couscous moist. I’ve added two tablespoons of olive oil to this recipe to prevent it from drying out.
Couscous is made from wheat, so it is considered a carb. It does contain some protein, but there are significantly more carbohydrates in each serving.
This would be great with:
Greek meatballs
Grilled chicken thighs
Pecan crusted salmon
Wheat berry salad
Olive oil brownies
More easy side dish recipes:
Italian green beans
Crispy brussels sprouts
Coconut rice
Vegan mashed potatoes
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Easy, Moroccan Couscous Recipe
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This Moroccan couscous recipe is a simplified, vegan version of the traditional dish, filled with sweet raisins, crunchy almonds and herbs. It might not be authentic, but it makes for an easy, flavorful side dish. Serve it warm with roasted vegetables or your favorite protein.
Heat a large saucepan to medium-high. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and spices. Sauté until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally – about 5 minutes.
Add broth. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat stir in couscous. Let sit for 10 minutes, or until the couscous has absorbed the broth.
Stir in raisins, almonds and parsley before serving.
Category:Side Dish
Method:Stovetop
Cuisine:Moroccan
Nutrition
Serving Size:
Calories:230
Sugar:4.6 g
Sodium:356.5 mg
Fat:8.2 g
Saturated Fat:0.9 g
Carbohydrates:33.6 g
Fiber:3.2 g
Protein:6.4 g
Cholesterol:0 mg
Published: June 12, 2020. Updated: November 23, 2021.
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In a large bowl, add a cup of semolina, a pinch of salt and a few drops of water. Mix with fingertips in circular motion until small balls form. Drizzle more water as necessary. Move the mixture to tamis (or drum sifter or similar fine mesh sifting device) to remove the fine semolina.
While it resembles a tiny grain of rice or quinoa, couscous is pasta. It's made from semolina flour (semolina is a flour made from durum wheat and is used in most traditional kinds of pasta) and water.
All you need to prepare couscous is boiling water, but it's important to use the correct water to couscous ratio. For most types of instant couscous, use a ratio of 1:1 1/2, so for example 1 cup of couscous to 1 1/2 cups of water.
Using chicken or other stock instead of water will give your couscous a deeper flavour and make it more substantial. Bring a cup or two of stock (I tend to add a little extra to allow for evaporation) in a medium to large pot. Remember couscous will expand. Take it off the heat and sprinkle in the couscous.
To make couscous, coarsely-ground durum wheat (semolina) is moistened and typically tossed with fine wheat flour until small, round granules of pasta dough are formed. These tiny balls of pasta are then left to dry for several hours before they're cooked through a quick steaming process.
Tip the couscous into a heatproof bowl and pour over the water or stock. Cover with cling film or a lid and leave for 5-10 mins until the couscous is soft. Fluff the couscous up with a fork, drizzling with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper if you like.
Couscous is a traditional Moroccan dish, eaten on Fridays - the day of congregational prayer. Huge groups gather around one big table a eat the dish together, normally by hand. Lben, a type of buttermilk, is the drink paired with the dish.
Rich in selenium, couscous can help boost your immune system and reduce your risk of some diseases like cancer. Nevertheless, while couscous has health and nutrition benefits, it may not be the best carb choice for everyone. It contains gluten, making it off limits for some.
The proportions for cooking couscous are generally 1:1.
A little less water makes drier couscous, good for salads or serving with sauces. A little more water makes softer and slightly sticky couscous. One cup of dried couscous makes about four cups of cooked couscous.
Only boiling water is needed to cook your couscous, but the important bit is the couscous to water ratio, you should abide by the 1:1 rule. So, for 60g of couscous, you will need 60ml of boiling water.
You don't let it sit long enough. Those tiny granules of couscous need time to soften. Make sure your pot remains covered to capture the steam from the hot water.
Couscous is packed with nutrients and has better selenium per serving than white rice when it comes to selenium and other elements. It is light and filling, making it a good choice for busy professionals, families and people who don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen to prepare a healthy, delicious meal.
If your couscous is always boring and flat-tasting, try cooking it in something besides plain water. Couscous has a natural nutty flavor that isn't exactly explosive, but can be enhanced to great effect by a flavorful liquid.
Couscous and quinoa differ in flavor and texture. Couscous has a pasta-like texture and neutral flavor, meaning that it tastes much like the ingredients with which it's cooked. In contrast, quinoa has a slightly nutty flavor and crunchier texture.
All couscous is made from semolina. Semolina is the name we give to flour that is ground from durum wheat. Durum wheat is a very hard wheat, higher in protein than the wheat all-purpose flour is made from. Semolina is golden yellow and gives couscous a nuttier taste than a pasta made with all-purpose flour.
While couscous and white rice have almost the same amount of calories per 100 grams, couscous contains more protein and higher amounts of vitamins and minerals so can be considered a healthier option in those departments. Both grains can support weight loss when incoporated into a balanced, healthy diet.
While many believe that it is a type of grain, such as rice or barley, it is actually a type of pasta. (Hint: some grocery stores may stock couscous in the pasta section, but most will often stock it in the grain section, next to the rice). Couscous is pasta made from semolina flour mixed with water.
Cooking couscous is easy, especially once you nail the couscous water ratio! You'll need 1 ¼ cups water or broth per 1 cup of Golden Couscous. After you bring your water or broth to a boil with a ½ teaspoon of salt, add your couscous. To give it a smoother texture, add in butter or oil with the couscous.
Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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