Whether you’re looking for a vegan entree to serve your guests or you just need a perfectly-balanced side dish to go with a grilled steak or your chicken thighs confit, this Moroccan vegetable couscous is going to blow your mind.
It’s warm and spiced, healthy and delicious, and so versatile. It doesn’t matter what you’re serving it with!
This couscous is also easy, made in one big pot to make cleaning up a breeze. From prep work to on the table, it only takes about 30 minutes! This is the perfect weeknight dish to make when you need to liven up your dinner menu.
Let’s get right to it! You’ll be cooking this up in no time.
Why You Need This Recipe
It never feels like you can get those deep flavors when you’re making a meal in 30 minutes. Luckily, this vegetable couscous will change your mind with how simple, quick, and delicious it is.
Full of aromatic spices like turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger, the Moroccan flavors infuse in the couscous while it cooks and pairs nicely with the freshness of the vegetables.
Feel free to throw in other vegetables that you and your family like to eat. You really can’t go wrong with customizing this recipe to your taste!
If you want to make this moroccan couscous into more of a light summer salad, keep your veggies fresh. But if you’re looking for something more hearty, cooking your vegetables down could bring a new heat to the dish!
You can also use both golden raisins and dried dates to sweeten up and round out the flavors of this couscous (especially if you want to add onions in the summer). They really help cut through the spice of the dish and mellow out the warmth to give you that depth you’re looking for.
The Power Of Turmeric
Using turmeric in your Moroccan vegetable couscous isn’t just about the fragrance and aromatics it brings to your dish. Turmeric has a surprising amount of healthy properties!
The health benefits that turmeric has makes it the star of this dish.
Curcumin, the main ingredient in turmeric that makes it beneficial, is a natural anti-inflammatory. If you suffer from arthritis, heart disease, or cancer, curcumin can help your body fight chronic inflammation that is causing you health issues.
This spice lowers the risk of heart disease and increases oxidation in your blood. If you have high-blood pressure or high levels of cholesterol, a dish like this Moroccan vegetable couscous which is packed with turmeric and heart-healthy vegetables can keep you healthy!
Cooking Moroccan Vegetable Couscous
New to making couscous? It might sound difficult, but I promise it’s even more simple than making white rice!
Couscous isn’t a grain, it’s actually a type of pasta. So it doesn’t need to cook for as long as rice or quinoa would.
To cook couscous, all you need to do is bring a pot of salted water to boil. When it’s come to a boil, pour the couscous in, remove it from the heat, and put a lid on it.
After five minutes, your couscous will be cooked perfectly and ready to be fluffed with a fork!
You need to use a 1:1 ratio of water to couscous, so for every cup of couscous you make, you need one cup of water.
For this Moroccan vegetable couscous, I recommend using homemade chicken stock to bring a deeper flavor to the dish. But if you want to keep it simple, a high-quality, store bought chicken stock will work too!
What You Need to Make Moroccan Vegetable Couscous
- 3 cups good chicken stock
- Quality olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ ground ginger
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 cups couscous
- 1 medium zucchini, ¼” diced
- 2 carrots ¼” diced
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (usually 2 lemons)
How to Make Moroccan Vegetable Couscous
Place the chicken stock, 2 tbsp olive oil, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
Off the heat, stir in the couscous, cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the zucchini and carrots. Fluff the couscous with a fork and add it to the vegetables.
Whisk together the lemon juice and ¼ cup of olive oil and pour it over the couscous. Serve warm or at room temperature. The flavors will meld the longer it sits.
It’s a great accompaniment to the Confit of Chicken Thighs.
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Want More Recipes? Try some of these favorites!
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Moroccan Vegetable Cous Cous
Description
A great side dish or salad that can be served warm or at room temperature. The longer it sits, the better the flavors meld together.
Ingredients
3 cups good chicken stock
Quality olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 ground ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups couscous
1 medium zucchini, 1/4” diced
2 carrots 1/4” diced
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (usually 2 lemons)
Instructions
- Place the chicken stock, 2 tbsp olive oil, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Off the heat, stir in the couscous, cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the zucchini and carrots. Fluff the couscous with a fork and add it to the vegetables.
- Whisk together the lemon juice and ¼ cup of olive oil and pour it over the couscous. Serve warm or at room temperature. The flavors will meld the longer it sits.
- It’s a great accompaniment to the Confit of Chicken Thighs.
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