Moroccan Couscous Recipe

On the Northwestern border of Africa lies Morocco. At the edge of the North Atlantic Ocean, this mountainous country is home to a bright cuisine full of famous salads. Interestingly enough, these salads aren't the custom "cold-type" that Americans are used to. Moroccan salads are often cooked, including a colorful mix of fresh veggies and ancient grains. From the list of amazing dishes, recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge curated this Moroccan couscous recipe. We adore this dish, because it is indeed flexible. For vegans or vegetarians, drop in a few substitutes for a perfect entree. Or, for the carnivores, who love a good steak, you can quickly cook this to compliment your protein.

Though the exact origin of couscous is undisclosed, the dish is loved all across Africa and Arabia. We Halal confirms that couscous was adopted into the cuisine of countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Libya, and beyond. Friendly Morocco raves about the plethora of flavorful ways to serve this dish. Because it consists of grains, it is often used interchangeably with quinoa, rice, or noodles. No wonder people of all nations love couscous! We know you will too.

This will be an easy dish to prep. You'll need 1 ½ cups of couscous, 2 cups of chicken broth,  4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (divided twice into 2 tablespoons each), ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, and ½ cup of dried apricots. Preparing these veggies will be quite simple. Be sure to collect 1 ounce of fresh mint, a red bell pepper, ½ of a red onion, and 1 cup of canned chickpeas. We asked Olayinka if this can be modified for vegans and vegetarians, and the answer is yes. "Minus the chicken broth," she notes. "That can easily be vegetable broth."

To begin this recipe, you'll want to get the base of the dish — the couscous — cooked. Measure the couscous into a pot, and add in the chicken broth (or vegetable broth), 2 tablespoons of extra virgin oil, salt, and pepper. Put this mixture on the stove top and allow it to come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The amount of cook time may vary slightly, but typically you will need to cook the couscous for about 10 to 15 minutes, until it has absorbed the liquid.

Now, let's get the veggies and apricot in order. Grab your favorite cutting board. Chop these up in any order you'd like. We started by slicing the dried apricots into quarters, chiffonading the mint into small ribbons, and chopping the pepper and onion into ½-inch pieces. Keep an eye on your couscous, and once it's ready, take it off of the heat. As for the mint and apricot, Olayinka loves working with the two fresh ingredients: "I cook quite a lot of Moroccan food in my house so it was a natural pair," she explains. "I know that this is quite a traditional lot of ingredients for Moroccan cuisine too."

Pour 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a saucepan over medium heat. Drop in the chopped bell pepper and red onions. Allow them to sauté for two quick minutes. Next, toss in the chickpeas, then the cooked couscous. Mix all of the ingredients together. This could be a meal on its own, however Olayinka told our team, "Definitely the chickpeas makes this meal a complete meal as it has some veg...although it could have more veg, carbs and protein." In turn, nutrition-wise she suggested Moroccan couscous be served as a side dish.

Lastly, sprinkle in the the mint and apricots. Combine well and set the table to serve! That's a record. You made an authentic Moroccan dish in under 20 minutes! If you want some extra spice to your dish, try adding a few of the traditional Moroccan spices like nutmeg, cloves, paprika or dry ginger (to taste). In case everyone doesn't clean their plate, you can store the leftovers for another day. Olayinka dropped a few useful tips for storage. "If I were making it again and wanted to store it, I would cook everything but leave out the mint," she explains. Simply top off the leftovers will fresh mint, and you'll be good to go.