Easy Couscous Recipe
My easy couscous recipe is a filling side that can accompany so many dishes. I’ll take you through how to cook it in a simple, delicious way and give you lots of ideas for what to pair it with.
Lots of us need that trusted go-to carbohydrate side when we’re thinking about what to serve with our mains. For me, couscous has become that dish.
Even more so than rice and pasta in my household, I find you can serve a side of couscous with nearly anything.
My recipe is super simple, only takes a few minutes, and has been paired with countless mains over the years.
Ingredients for this Recipe
So, let’s get started with my easy couscous recipe. First, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Couscous – 1 cup couscous
- Water – 1 cup (boiling) water
- Butter – 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
- Lemon – 2 tbsp of lemon juice
- Salt – 1/2 tsp salt (sea salt flakes or kosher salt) or more to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Bring the water to a boil and add the salt, butter, and lemon juice to it.
Step 2 – Pour the boiling water (with salt, melted butter, and lemon juice) over the couscous in a heatproof bowl.
Step 3 – Cover the couscous with a plate and let it stand to steam for at least 5 minutes.
Step 4 – Fluff it up with a fork. Taste it and add additional salt or lemon juice to taste. Serve it warm.
If you want to warm it up later, you can microwave it for 30-45 seconds.
Step 5 – Serve it as is (as a simple side) or topped with roasted vegetable and fresh herbs.
What to Serve with Couscous
Honestly, I could sit here writing all day and not come close to answering this question. A side of couscous can be paired with pretty much anything.
Generally I’ll bring a bowl of it to the table, rather than serve it on the plate, so that my family and dinner guests can decide if and how much they want.
Below, I do have some dish suggestions that benefit from a good few spoonfuls of couscous.
This is one of my favorite pairings. My roasted veggies with tahini sauce recipe works wonders served on a bed of couscous and even some fresh greens like arugula.
You can typically pair couscous with all types of meat, including these crispy chicken tenders.
I often make couscous with fish as well, as with my blackened salmon or honey soy salmon recipes, instead of, say, rice, and a side of roasted veggies or greens.
Couscous can be a great salad topper, too.
I’m pretty sure you get the idea. Bring it to the table, along with greens, salads, bread, and other sides, and let your guests decide how much they want.
At-aGlance Recipe Card
Easy Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup (boiling) water
- 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp of lemon juice
- half tsp salt (sea salt flakes or kosher salt) or more to taste
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil and add the salt, butter, and lemon juice to it.
- Pour 1 cup of boiling water (plus the salt, melted butter, and lemon juice) over the couscous in a heatproof bowl.
- Cover the couscous bowl with a plate and let it stand to steam for at least 5 minutes.
- Fluff it up with a fork. Taste it and add additional salt or lemon juice to taste. Serve it warm. If you want to warm it up later, you can microwave it for 30-45 seconds.
- Serve it as is (as a simple side) or topped with roasted vegetables, tahini sauce, and/or fresh herbs.
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Keep my easy couscous recipe on-hand, ready for when you need a quick, hearty side, by saving it to one of your Pinterest boards.
