Perfect Couscous
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A versatile and super-easy side dish, couscous is made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour. Though we often think of it as a grain, it’s actually a type of pasta.
Couscous is a North African dish made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour. Though we think of it and cook it as a grain, it’s actually a type of pasta. Traditionally, couscous is steamed in a special double-chambered cooking vessel called a couscousière, which is a time-consuming process. However, here in the States, we often use the instant variety of couscous that cooks up in just 5 minutes—making it one of the quickest and most versatile side dishes around, way faster than basmati rice or mashed potatoes.
The cooking instructions on the back of the box will give you perfectly fine couscous, but this recipe shows you how to take it up a notch. It’s delicious paired with saucy dishes like Moroccan brisket or chicken tagine, and it also complements grilled Moroccan meatballs with yogurt sauce beautifully.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Couscous
Step-By-Step Instructions
To start, bring the cooking liquid (preferably a flavorful chicken or vegetable broth) to a boil in a medium pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil, a pat of butter, and a little salt.
Next, add the couscous. (I use 1-3/4 cups liquid to 1-1/2 cups couscous.)
Take the pan off the heat, cover, and let the couscous steam for 5 minutes.
When you lift the lid, the grains will appear flat in an even layer. Use a fork to fluff it up and break up the clumps for light and fluffy couscous.
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Perfect Couscous
A versatile and super-easy side dish, couscous is made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour. Though we often think of it as a grain, it’s actually a type of pasta.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ cups (10 oz) instant couscous
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water (or broth), salt, butter, and oil to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover tightly with a lid, and remove from heat. Let the couscous steam for 5 minutes. Use a fork to fluff the couscous and break up any clumps. Serve warm.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The couscous can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, reheat it in the microwave until hot.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 226
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Sugar: 0g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Cholesterol: 5mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Yesterday I needed to prepare a quick meal and I tried this recipe. It came out tops
Came out great. Also, thanks for not adding a whole bunch of BS before the recipe! Short intro paragraph , bam RECIPE. You know why I’m here. Thanks!
Turned out perfect! Light, delicate texture and we added curry, garlic, seasoning salt and Montreal chicken seasoning. It was paired with steamed broccoli and baked halibut for a completely delicious experience!
Amen. I’m looking for a recipe, not storytime.
Fantastic and easy recipe, came out perfect on my first try
I have made this a few times…give it a 10..fantastic thanks
Made this on 2 successive nights. First night, used substandard (old) couscous. Consistency was perfect, flavor sucked. I mean, wasn’t very good…
Made it again tonight, fresh couscous. Perfect, both consistency and flavor.
Paired with Moroccan chicken with preserved Meyer lemons. Not your recipe, Jenn (blush!).
Will become the basis of lots of variations in the future: roasted garlic, sauteed onions, etc.
Many thanks for this recipe. So simple, so right.
Joe
How would I adapt this recipe if using Israeli couscous?
Hi Lynda, As I’m not sure about the water to couscous ratio and timing for Israeli couscous, I’d recommend following the instructions on the box. 🙂
The first time I made couscous was from a Hello Fresh meal kit. It was awful. Slimy little pellets of awfulness. So, being forever the one to keep trying something new, I bought the Hello Fresh kit again and ditched their recipe and used yours instead. My result wasn’t perfect. But the chicken broth was a great improvement, as was the butter. This was something I would actually eat. I don’t know if that counts as a testimonial.
As a suggestion. You should make some couscous without that Hello Fresh Meal Kit. That’s probably your problem & why you are ending up with something you wouldn’t eat. Especially if it’s the larger Israeli couscous, where this recipe needs modification or it doesn’t come out right.
Instead, you should get some regular CousCous from the bulk foods section of your grocery store & cook it from scratch. It literally only takes 10 minutes to make & the last 5 minutes is just letting it sit. It’s also very inexpensive to buy.
Recently, I purchased both traditional couscous and Israeli couscous from the bulk dry food bins at the grocery store. But I realized I no longer had a recipe available at home, so I went online and your site was the first one I found, at the top of the search results, and it looked simple & straightforward. For my first batch I decided on the traditional couscous, and to use this recipe, but with some modifications, based on what I have available.
I have a bunch of turkey broth available, so I decided I would use it & instead of butter (unsalted) I used original Smart Balance, which is not unsalted. Upon completion, it didn’t look exactly like your picture, but once I used a fork to fluff it up, it looked & tasted absolutely wonderful. I haven’t had any great couscous since many years ago when I served in the military and spent time on more than one occasion in the Mediterranean. This recipe, turned out perfect, bringing back many wonderful memories of the food.
I will be using this recipe, many, many more times with many different meals.
Thanks.
Super easy and delicious!!! Thank you 🙂
We usually buy the packaged couscous where you add water. This was so much better! The chicken broth combined with the butter and olive oil gave the couscous an added dimension. We could have made a meal out of it! Thank you for the recipe.
Was delish and EASY. Exactly what I was looking for. 🙂