No, really, you’ve got to get next to this stuff! Actually, - here it comes – I’m cuckoo over couscous.
According to my resources, couscous recipes have great cooker-interest with not a lot of sites that feature them. Specifically, there have been over 67,000 recent searches and only 54 sites in the world with a big selection of couscous recipes. So, if you searched for this page, you now have 55 places to check out.
But, seriously, I think that if you create every dish on this page – and the ones I’ll be adding – you can stop searching; just come back here whenever you feel the need for this grain-like pasta, and see what’s new. Okay?
Place couscous in a large bowl; set aside. Place water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
Pour water over couscous, cover with plastic wrap or a plate, and let stand, tightly covered, until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Stir in olive oil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in almonds, cilantro, and mint until evenly combined.
Mushroom and White Bean Stew over Couscous
Serves 4If you're having trouble breaking away from rice, go ahead and use it here, but couscous is quicker and I think it's good to make changes - at least little changes like couscous instead of rice.
1 & 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1 & 1/2 cups couscous
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 cup diced onions
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 & 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 cups water
2 pinches cayenne pepper
Coat a large nonstick wok or 12-inch skillet with olive-oil cooking spray and preheat over medium to medium-high heat.
Add the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and Italian seasoning, and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
While the mushrooms are cooking, boil water in a 1-quart saucepan over high heat and stir in the couscous; cover and remove from the heat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed.
Add the tomatoes, beans, and cayenne pepper to the mushroom mixture. Stir to mix, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until heated through.
Stir the parsley into the couscous, divide the couscous among individual serving plates, and top with the stew. Serve immediately, as is or topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Couscous with Halloumi and Greens
Serves 4You may have to shop a bit to find this melting cheese but this easy couscous recipe is so pretty and so yummy that your eaters will really lay on the compliments.
5 Tbsp e.v. olive oil
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 & 1/2 cups couscous
1 cup sugar snap peas, rinsed & strings removed
1 package (8 to 9 oz.) halloumi cheese, sliced for large slices, 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup lemon juice
Pepper
6 oz spring salad mix
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved & rinsed
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
Lemon wedges
In a 3 to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 & 1/4. cups water, 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt, and cayenne to a boil. Remove from heat, add couscous and sugar snap peas, cover, and let stand untilcouscous is tender, about 5 or 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, place halloumii slices in a 10 or 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, flipping once, until browned on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from heat with the cheese still in it.
In a glass measure, mix lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, mix salad greens with 1/4 cup of the lemon & oil dressing and mound equally on four plates.
Stir the tomatoes, parsley, and mint into the couscous, and place that over the greens.
Finally, lay on the halloumii slices, then the rest of the dressing. Garnish with lemon wedges and feel very proud of yourself.
Couscous & Black Bean Salad
Serves 8Yet another way to put these two under-used goodies on your table. They make a great, nutritious pair.
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 & 1/4 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp each fresh lime juice & e.v. olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
8 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan stir in the couscous. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin together, then add onions, pepper, cilantro, corn and beans.Toss to coat everything.
Fluff the couscous well, and add to the bowl with the veggies; mix well, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve at once or put it in the fridge if you're running ahead of schedule - how often does that happen?
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Saffron-Scented Couscous with Pine Nuts
Serves 8If you need to buy saffron for this terrific recipe, and you’ve never bought it before, you’re in for a shock. One ounce of these barely visible threads of goodness runs about $65.00 compared to, say, oregano, which McCormick sells at $28.85 for a 24-oz container. But you can easily find saffron in supermarkets sized in fractions of an ounce; and this stuff is worth it. You can bring down the total cost of this dish by using walnuts or pecans instead of pine nuts.
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt
2 cups couscous (about 12 ounces)
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 5), divided
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted, divided
Bring broth, 2 Tbsp butter, saffron, and 1/4 tsp of coarse salt to boil in a heavy large saucepan, stirring to melt the butter.
Remove from heat, and mix in couscous. Cover and let stand until all liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, then mix in remaining butter and half the green onions and nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Mound in a bowl and sprinkle with remaining green onions and nuts.
Couscous – Israeli Style
Serves 6This type of couscous is a bit larger than the common variety and takes a few minutes more to cook, but if you can locate a package give it a try; otherwise, this would be really tasty with quick-cook couscous.
1 lb dry Israeli-style couscous (or quick-cook)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup each dried chopped fruit & chopped nuts
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
In a sauce pan, saute the onion in the oil until translucent.
Stir in the couscous, cook and stir until pale golden. Cover with the broth, bring to a boil and simmer about 10 minutes or until couscous has absorbed the liquid.
Stir in the fruit and nuts, remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 8-10 minutes.
Fluff with a fork, season with salt and pepper and serve.
Couscous Pilaf
Serves 4This is so easy and so tasty that you’ll wonder where couscous has been all your life. Actually, it’s been in Morocco, Algeria and a bunch of other countries for years and years.
1 & 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp. golden raisins
1 cup couscous
2 Tbsp. toasted slivered almonds
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Heat broth, butter and raisins to boiling. Stir in couscous and continue cooking according to package directions. Add almonds and pepper, stirring with a fork to fluff and break up any lumps. Done.
Tomato, Squash and Herb Couscous
Serves 4You needn’t be a vegan to find this an exciting way to add couscous to your meat-less options.
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp zucchini, coarsely diced
4 cups Roma tomatoes (unpeeled), chopped
2 Tbsp each chopped fresh basil & mint
salt and pepper
6 cups vegetable broth
4 cups couscous
Bring broth to boil, add couscous, cover and remove from heat.
When liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes, stir in salt to taste and remaining olive oil. Ladle vegetable mixture over couscous and serve
Meanwhile, heat a Tbsp of olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add onions and cook until they start to soften, about 3 minutes, then stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add zucchini and cook, stirring for 4 or 5 minutes more until the zukes are softened but not “mushy”.
Add tomatoes, basil, and mint, reduce heat and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes, just until tomatoes are heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Finally, stir the rest of the oil and a bit of salt into the couscous, divide among four bowls or put it all in one large serving bowl, and serve with the veggie-herb mixture on top.
Click here to find lots of meatless but exciting dishes
Spinach & Pine Nut Couscous
Serves 4
The nuts, spinach & garlic add to the good things couscous does for you while turning it into a really exciting and delicious side.
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
1 10-oz box couscous
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (1 oz)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Cook the couscous according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and saute the garlic and pine nuts until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
When the couscous is done, fold in the spinach, feta, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Serve with that old family favorite, "whatever”.
Shrimp with Couscous and Spinach
Serves 4Shrimp and rice is very nice but wait’ll you try shrimp and couscous. I know, it doesn’t rhyme, like “rice” and "nice", but try it anyway; it's very special.
1 cup instant couscous
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 5-ounce bag baby spinach
3/4 tsp each ground black pepper & kosher salt
20 medium-size shrimp, deveined
1 lemon, quartered
Prepare the couscous according to the package directions and fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook about a minute, then add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 1 more minute.
Combine the spinach and couscous in a large bowl, season with half the salt and pepper, and toss gently.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat, season the shrimp with the remaining salt and pepper, then cook a minute or two per side. Serve over the couscous with a squeeze of lemon.
Couscous Cubano
Serves 4Sure, you could use rice for this imported masterpiece, but don’t you think couscous makes it more “your” dish?
Place couscous, cumin, and salt in a large heat-proof bowl or storage container and pour 1 cup of boiling water on top. Cover tightly and let sit until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. If the couscous is not quite tender, add an additional 1/4 cup of boiling water, cover, and let sit for a few minutes longer. Fluff up with a fork.
Toss in the black beans, corn, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno. Mix in the olive oil and enough lime juice to give the salad a tart edge. Serve warm or at room temperature.
