Couscous is very versatile and easy to prepare. It can be used as a warm side dish or a cold salad. Or you can serve it warm for dinner and chill leftovers for lunch the next day. Couscous is a great way to sneak in vegetables, cheese and nuts and it goes well with most menus and dishes since you can control what ingredients to put in it!
To prepare, I usually follow package instructions and use the whole-wheat variety. Packages give instructions on couscous and liquid measurements and usually recommend that you boil the water separately then pour it on top of the couscous. After pouring the water on the pot containing the couscous, you should close the lid tightly ensuring the pot is not on the stovetop. The couscous will be ready in about 5 minutes. Ideally, the couscous will end up being light, fluffy and not mashed together or wet at the bottom of the pot. It may take some practice to get the hang of it but once you try a couple of times, you’ll know when it’s just right. It’s a good idea to fluff the couscous with a fork when you lift the lid.
Instead of using water to steam the couscous, I normally use chicken broth to give the couscous extra flavor. I generally avoid buying the kind of couscous that comes with a spice packet for extra flavor. It’s easy to add your own ingredients without the added sodium and preservatives of the spice packet from the box. To add flavor to plain couscous when I am out of chicken broth, I just melt a chicken or beef bouillon cube into the boiling water before pouring it on the couscous.
Couscous will usually take about 5 minutes to cook plus the time it takes to boil the water or simmer the broth. As such, it’s a very convenient option for quick weeknight meals. I normally serve it as a side dish to chicken or roasted vegetables.
On its own, many people find couscous bland. So I like to add a variety of flavors to it by using vegetables, cheeses, sausages and anything else that I already have in the fridge. I also tend to add nuts such as sunflower seeds or roasted almonds (that I roast myself) to any couscous dish for extra flavor and health benefits.
Here are some couscous recipe ideas:
1. While the couscous is steaming, chop up sun-dried tomatoes (the kind that comes packed in olive oil and herbs) and feta cheese and toss everything together when the couscous is ready. Top with some freshly ground black pepper and fresh parsley. To make this recipe extra healthy, add some sunflower seeds to the mix. Almonds or walnuts would also work – use what you have. This couscous recipe is best when eaten cold. Stir in some good extra virgin olive oil and you get a light, refreshing salad. Right before eating, you can also dice some cucumbers and toss them in for an extra refreshing crunch. Avoid tossing them in when the couscous is still warm as they will get soggy.
2. When pouring the hot water or chicken broth over the couscous, toss in some asparagus spears cut diagonally into 1-inch segments. The asparagus will steam with the couscous and be ready in a snap. Top with Parmesan cheese shavings. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat up 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss in minced garlic, sliced sausage (kielbasa or chicken sausage) with sliced green, red, and orange peppers. Sauté until the sausage is cooked through and the peppers have slightly softened. Mix the sausage, peppers and any of the pan juices with the prepared couscous. Top with grated cheese or crumbled feta cheese and mix in with the couscous when it’s ready. You can also sneak in the sunflower seeds here.
4. Grill some chicken on a grill pan or sauté it, slice it into strips and toss with the couscous. Before grilling, marinade the chicken with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and fresh parsley. For an extra summery touch, toss some baby tomatoes on the grill or the pan in the last couple of minutes and throw them into the mix as well.
5. Sauté carrots and peas and mix in with the couscous. Top with parsley and freshly ground pepper. Salt to taste.
6. Get rid of leftovers! Look in the fridge or freezer for any hard cheeses, vegetables or nuts that you think would go well together, roast or sauté them separately if they need it then mix with the couscous.
And if you’d like to take your couscous up a notch, look up Moroccan, Libyan, Tunisian or Algerian recipes for more traditional uses of couscous.
