Moroccan Couscous

Today I am giving regular couscous a colorful makeover by adding a bunch of veggies and earthy Moroccan spices.

This Moroccan Couscous isn’t just great alongside chicken, beef, or fish dishes; it can also stand alone as a light vegetarian lunch option.

It’s brimming with flavors and textures, and you’ll absolutely love how it can be made in under 20 minutes. Try this with my Moroccan Harissa Chicken for a great exotic meal!

I absolutely love our Moroccan flavors on GypsyPlate. From our finger licking Beef Tagine and Chicken Tagine to addictive Zaalouk eggplant dip, to zingy Chermoula sauce and healthy Moroccan Lentil Soup and hearty Harira, there is plenty of flavors in this amazing African cuisine.

Most of them use simple pantry staples, plus some of the exotic earthy spices this land is famous for.

Let’s try making couscous with Moroccan flavors. It will turn into that pretty looking side dish that people will come asking for again and again.

What Is Couscous?

Couscous is a staple dish in many North African countries, including Morocco. While it resembles a tiny grain of rice or quinoa, couscous is a pasta! It’s made from a dry mixture of semolina and water, that’s rolled into very tiny irregular pieces.

Because it is so small, couscous cooks in a matter of minutes, making it a fabulous choice for a last-minute side.

How to Cook Couscous

I love the fact that couscous cooks in a flash. Most of the time, instructions are on the back of the package. But here is how I do it…

1. I measure a 1:1 ratio of couscous to salted water or chicken stock.
2. I bring the water or stock to a boil.
3. Then, I stir in the couscous, cover the pot, and remove it from the heat. (Today I am adding raisins along with the couscous)
4. Next, I let it stand for 5 minutes.
5. Finally, I just fluff it with a fork.

Ingredients Needed

• Dry couscous – today I used multi-colored
• Veggies – bell pepper, onion, carrot, and zucchini
• Spices – ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, turmeric powder
• Flavor enhancers – chicken stock, garlic, lemon, raisins, almonds, chickpeas, parsley, pomegranate arils
• Olive oil

Moroccan Couscous Recipe

1. I make the couscous as instructed above, including the raisins, and then plate it out in a big serving bowl.

2. I heat olive oil in a sauté pan and sauté onion and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes. Then, I add in zucchini and chickpeas, along with spices and salt, and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Finally, I add in grated carrots and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Next, I mix this vegetable mixture with the prepared couscous.

4. Finally, I toss everything with lemon juice, chopped parsley and almonds. And don’t forget to garnish generously with Pomegranate arils.

Some Variations

• Some days I use other veggies like green beans, corn, peas, or cherry tomatoes to give it a different flavor profile.
• I love to use toasted pine nuts instead of almonds.
• For a complete meal, I’ll add in cooked chicken, like leftover rotisserie chicken or roast chicken. Grilled or leftover shrimp would go beautifully, too. Or try some flank steak strips over this couscous.

This summer, make this Moroccan Couscous and enjoy it for your potluck parties and summer get togethers. It’s a quick fix side dish that can pair so well with anything and everything.

Plus, everyone will be amazed at the great flavors from all the unique ingredients that work perfectly together.

Try my new easy exotic flavors in your couscous and keep on coming back to GypsyPlate!

Moroccan Couscous, in our Gypsy Bowl… enjoy!

Try these other great sides from around the world!
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Arroz con Gandules
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Greek Lemon Rice
Hawaiian Mac Salad
Dirty Rice

Moroccan Couscous

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Give regular couscous a colorful makeover by adding a bunch of veggies and earthy spices. My Moroccan Couscous recipe is a great side dish that goes with a variety of mains.

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Ingredients

• 1.5 cup chicken stock
• 1.5 cup dry couscous
• ½ cup raisins
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 15oz can chickpeas, drained
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• Pomegranate arils, for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add the couscous and raisins to the boiling stock.
2. Cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork. Plate it out in a big serving bowl.
3. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and sauté onion, garlic and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes. Add in zucchini and chickpeas, along with spices and salt, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add in grated carrots and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Mix the vegetable mixture with prepared couscous.
5. Toss with lemon juice, chopped parsley and almonds. Garnish generously with pomegranate arils.

Notes

1. Leftovers: Place leftover couscous in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently heat up leftovers in a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 319Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 1mgSodium 207mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 8gSugar 15gProtein 10g

Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.