What is the ratio of couscous to water?

Follow 1:1 Liquid to Couscous Ratio. If you plan to cook 1 cup of couscous, you'll need 1 cup of boiling broth or water (but look at the couscous package as some may require a different ratio). Use too much liquid and your couscous will be a bit on the sticky side.

How long does couscous take to cook?

Couscous isn't really cooked, more rehydrated. Depending on the brand you use, this can take anything from 5 to 15 mins, with an average of about 10 mins . Try a small amount – if it's soft then you're good to fluff, but if it's at all crunchy, cover and leave for a few mins more before fluffing.

How to add flavour to plain couscous?

For added flavour, you can crumble a stock cube over the cous cous before pouring over the boiled water (roughly 1cm). Next, add a generous drizzle of olive oil (about 2tbsp) and the juice from half a lemon. Stir everything together and cover the bowl tightly with Clingfilm or a plate and leave for 10 minutes.

Can you just add boiling water to couscous?

Only boiling water is needed to cook your couscous , but the important bit is the couscous to water ratio, you should abide by the 1:1 rule. So, for 60g of couscous, you will need 60ml of boiling water.

What happens if you don't rinse couscous?

There's no need to wash or rinse the couscous before cooking it as it doesn't contain starch . The butter/oil is optional, but it will help the grains to separate so it's recommended. Add the couscous to boiling water, and then take it off of the heat to avoid it overcooking.

How do you make couscous not mushy?

Use the correct amount of water or stock With too much liquid, your couscous will go soggy. With not enough, it'll be hard. So, take the time to make all measurements accurately. For every 2/3 cup couscous, you should add 1 cup of boiling water or (preferably) stock.

What goes well with couscous?

Couscous can be served as a side dish or a main meal, and goes well with beef, chicken, fish, lamb or as part of a vegetarian meal (with beans, tofu, etc.) You can also stir in additional ingredients (vegetables, nuts, dried fruit) to add something special to your couscous and make it a more substantial dish.

How many cups of couscous per person?

A good rule of thumb is to allocate about 1/2 cup of uncooked couscous per person. This should yield roughly 1 cup of cooked couscous, which is typically a satisfying portion for a side dish.

Does couscous taste like pasta or rice?

Couscous is a dried and cracked pasta made from semolina, like tiny pasta, meaning it cooks at lightning speed. It has a nutty, sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with stews, braises, and grilled or roasted veggies.

Rich in selenium, couscous can help boost your immune system and reduce your risk of some diseases like cancer. Nevertheless, while couscous has health and nutrition benefits, it may not be the best carb choice for everyone . It contains gluten, making it off limits for some.

What can I add to couscous to make it less dry?

I cook couscous with a third more water then the amount of cous cous, then throw some butter in to stop it drying out . Big fan of cous cous, it just takes on any flavour you throw at it, soy sauce, chicken stock, chilli sauce, whatever. All good.

How do you moisten dry couscous?

The couscous we buy at the market today is pre cooked. That means it's pretty much ready to go right out of the box–one of the main reasons we love it so much. But it really only needs 5 minutes in very hot or simmering (not boiling) water (it varies by brand) to let moisture seep back in.

How to Cook Couscous - Love and Lemons (2024)

Learn how to cook couscous! Toss this tiny pasta with herbs and lemon to make a simple side dish, or try one of the couscous recipes suggested below.

Jump to recipe

If you open up my pantry, you’ll almost always find a box of couscous inside. I love keeping this quick-cooking starch on hand, as it’s an easy side dish that pairs well with all kinds of meals. Because I’m such a big couscous fan, I thought I’d dedicate today’s post to discussing what it is and how to cook it. And of course, I’ll share some of my favorite couscous recipes!

First, what is couscous?

Couscous might seem like grain, but it’s actually a type of pasta. First made by the Berber people of North Africa, it’s made from rolled, sifted, and steamed durum wheat semolina, and it’s a staple food in North African cuisine.

Today, you can find couscous in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from tiny grains to larger pearls. Israeli couscous is also widely available in grocery stores. It looks a lot like traditional pearl couscous, but, according to this Food52 article, it’s not quite the same thing, as it was developed much later and is prepared slightly differently. However, because it’s so easy to find in grocery stores, I’m still including cooking instructions for it below.

How to Cook Couscous

How you cook couscous will depend on what type you buy. In grocery stores, you will most often find these two varieties:

Traditional (white or whole wheat): As you can see in the picture above, this type of couscous is tiny – even smaller than quinoa! It would traditionally be steamed in a special pot called a couscoussier, but you can also quickly steam it in a regular lidded pot or saucepan. Measure a 1:1 ratio of couscous and water, and bring the water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the pasta, cover the pot, and remove it from the heat. Let it stand for 5 minutes, covered, before you remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Though it’s not totally necessary, I also like to add a bit of olive oil and salt to the boiling water to add flavor and prevent clumping.
Israeli: Instead of steaming Israeli couscous, I cook it like I do other kinds of pasta. I bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pearl-like balls, cooking for 7 to 8 minutes, or until al dente. As soon as I drain it, I toss it with a large glug of olive oil so that the balls don’t stick together.

Couscous Recipes and Serving Ideas

Once you’ve cooked your couscous, you have all sorts of options for using it! Here are a few of my favorites:

Add it to a salad. Try making this Mediterranean couscous salad with roasted tomatoes and chickpeas. You can also use it in place of quinoa, bulgur, or millet in a grain salad.
Serve it as a side dish. Below, you’ll find my favorite way to prepare this tiny pasta as a simple side dish. I toss it with herbs, lemon juice, pine nuts, and olive oil to make a bright, refreshing pilaf. It pairs nicely with any protein, vegetable main dish, or soup!
Top it with a stew. Traditional Moroccan couscous is often served with stewy seasonal vegetables, and I adore this preparation. Find my riff on North African tagine on page 207 of Love & Lemons Every Day!
Make it a meal on its own.Make the recipe below. Then, top it with roasted veggies like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or butternut squash, drizzles of tahini sauce, and your favorite protein to make an easy meal!

Enjoy!

More Basic Grains and Starches

Loved learning how to cook couscous? Try making one of these grains or starches next:

Herbed Farro
Instant Pot Quinoa
Creamy Polenta
Perfect Brown Rice
Instant Pot Brown Rice
Stovetop White Rice
Forbidden Black Rice
Wheat Berries

Lemon Couscous Recipe

rate this recipe:

5 from 23 votes

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup couscous
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup minced parsley
2 tablespoons pine nuts
pinches of red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the couscous, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and ½ teaspoon sea salt and stir. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.
Fluff the couscous with a fork, transfer it to a large bowl, and toss it with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and pine nuts.
Transfer the mixture to a serving platter and garnish with additional pine nuts, parsley, and red pepper flakes, if desired.