Easy Moroccan Couscous Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the traditional moroccan dish couscous made of? ›

Couscous is a staple dish in many North African countries including Morocco, a country I dream of visiting one day. 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.

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.

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.

Add enough other elements and couscous can be a meal in itself. Herbs: Couscous will always be better with a fresh lift of herbs. Chopped coriander and parsley are classic accompaniments, mint is excellent and you could also try other soft leaves such as basil.

I toss it with herbs, lemon juice, pine nuts, and olive oil to make a bright, refreshing pilaf. It pairs nicely with any protein, vegetable main dish, or soup! Top it with a stew. Traditional Moroccan couscous is often served with stewy seasonal vegetables, and I adore this preparation.

Add some cumin, paprika or turmeric (or create a spice mix that you love) to the cooking water for a subtle warmth and depth. Alternatively, toss the cooked couscous with fresh herbs like mint, parsley or coriander for a burst of freshness.

The couscous you find at your market has been steamed twice and dried. This way you only need to cook it briefly in boiling water, stock or broth. There are various types of couscous; the most popular ones are Moroccan, Israeli and Lebanese.

1 cup of dry couscous will give you about 2 to 2 ½ cups of cooked couscous, which should generously feed 4 people (you should budget ⅓ cup to ½ cup per person).

Kettle and Bowl Version (faster and easier!) Add 1 cup of couscous to a bowl. Boil some water in a kettle. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the bowl, add a pinch of sea salt if desired, stir and cover it with a plate.

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.

What happens if you don't rinse couscous? ›

There's no need to wash or rinse the couscous before cooking it as it doesn't contain starch. The butter/oil is optional, but it will help the grains to separate so it's recommended. Add the couscous to boiling water, and then take it off of the heat to avoid it overcooking.

It makes a fluffy bed for veggies, fish, and meats, and perfectly soaks up hearty Moroccan chicken or lamb stews. You can even chill your couscous and toss it into a tasty Mediterranean salad! It's true what they say about it—it's the pasta so nice, they named it twice!

As soon as 15 minutes is up, drizzle a little olive oil over the couscous, to help separate the balls, then fluff them, using a fork (not a spoon). If you have time, then pour the couscous onto a baking sheet and break up the balls with your fingers. Either way, it's at this point that you'll see the magic working.

Traditionally, Tagine cooks in a conical-shaped two-piece terra-cotta pot, called a tagine, over low heat with meat, veggies, olive oil and spices. Couscous cooks in a couscoussier, a taller metal pot with a slightly bulbous base, a steamer and a lid.

Health Benefits of Integrating Couscous into Your Diet

Couscous as a Protein Powerhouse: Despite its small size, couscous is a surprisingly good source of protein. With around 7.6 grams of protein per 200g when cooked, it can be a valuable addition to a vegetarian or vegan diet that's otherwise lacking in protein.

The main difference between pearl couscous and Moroccan couscous is the size. The grains of Moroccan couscous are much smaller, compared to the pea-size granules in the pearl variety (made memorable by their namesake). This, of course, affects the preparation and cooking time of each grain.

While they sound similar, couscous and Israeli couscous are actually two different ingredients with different preparations and uses. In short, couscous is smaller than Israeli couscous and requires less time to cook. Read on to learn about the differences between these two often confused ingredients.