Easy Couscous

This couscous recipe is fluffy and perfectly seasoned in minutes! Here are the tips for cooking couscous.

If there’s one dish that epitomizes a simple side dish, it’s this: couscous. These little noodles are soft, delicious and only take 10 minutes to prepare without cooking. That’s right: all you have to do is boil some water! This traditional Berber food has taken over the world: its ease of preparation and deliciously light texture make it perfect to serve with almost anything. Prepare it Moroccan style or simply spice it up with lemon as a quick side dish for chicken, fish or vegetarian dishes. Here’s our favorite couscous recipe and some info on where it came from.

What is couscous?

couscous is a North African dough with tiny grains of semolina flour. Its texture is similar to rice grains or quinoa, but it’s actually a paste! It originated between the 11th and 13th centuries by the Berbers in Algeria and Morocco. Today, it’s a pantry staple around the world due to its versatility and quick cooking time. It is a cultural dish of the Maghreb cuisine of the countries of Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco and Libya.

Is couscous gluten free? No. Couscous is a wheat-based paste, so it contains gluten. People on a gluten-free diet should avoid it or look for a special gluten-free couscous.

Types of couscous

There are three main types of food called couscous: Moroccan, Israeli or pearl couscous, and Lebanese. However, the second two types are not technically considered couscous. Here is an overview:

• Moroccan couscous has very small, irregular grains and a quick cooking time. It’s the standard variety and is called “couscous” in the grocery store (it doesn’t usually include the word Moroccan).
• Israeli couscous (aka pearl couscous) is larger and spherical. It’s technically considered pasta and not couscous because the grains are large and exactly the same shape. It has always been made by machine while couscous is made by hand. Food was invented in Israel in the 1950s when the government had to feed masses of immigrants.
• Lebanese couscous has even larger grains and a longer cooking time. It’s harder to find in traditional American grocery stores, but may be available in international grocery stores.

The following recipe contains Moroccan couscous: avoid the Israeli or pearly variety here! It’s a completely different product with a different cooking time. I have understood? OK, let’s start cooking this lovely little pasta.

How to cook couscous

There are different methods to prepare couscous. It’s difficult to achieve perfect fluffiness as it can get lumpy when cooked in a small saucepan. Here’s an alternate method that yields nice fluffy grains every time (or continue with the recipe below):

• Use a ratio of 1 cup of couscous to 1.5 cups of liquid. Use water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth; the broth brings extra delicious flavors.
• Boil the liquid. Boil it in a teapot or small saucepan on the stove. Boiling the water separately will help avoid lumps.
• Place the dry grains in a pan with ½ teaspoon salt. Using a pan provides more surface area and less clumping.
• Pour over the liquid and wait 10 minutes, then stir with a fork. That’s it! You’ll find it’s perfectly soft with separated grains: no lumps!

ways to serve it

Now for the fun part: how to serve couscous! This couscous recipe is for an easy side dish flavored with lemon and parsley. It goes with almost anything: Since it only takes 10 minutes, we make it often. Here are some ways to flavor and serve it:

How would you like to serve this 10 minute side dish? Let us know in the comments below.

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Want more quick and easy side dishes? Here are some basics you will review:

This couscous recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.