15 Fun and Delicious Ways to Use Couscous

Couscous is a super versatile and easy product to work with. Not a grain in its own right, but rather tiny granules of drum wheat. It is in fact, it is more like pasta than it is like rice or quinoa.

That said, in terms of how it is cooked and used, it makes a great substitute for rice or quinoa as it mixes well with veggies, and salads and can be stuffed into peppers and squashes.

Here are a bunch of OGP recipes that celebrate couscous and give inventive ways to use it in your lunches and dinners.

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! 

1. Roasted Asparagus with Pistachio Pesto and Pearl Couscous

Source: Roasted Asparagus with Pistachio Pesto and Pearl Couscous

Try this simple recipe for Roasted Asparagus with Pistachio Pesto and Pearl Couscous by Fleur Droog. This couscous dish is so delicious and flavorful! The pistachio pesto works beautifully with the roasted asparagus. The perfect dinner to impress everyone at the table.

2. Golden Couscous Bowl with Tomato Salad

Source: Golden Couscous Bowl with Tomato Salad

This simple recipe for Golden Couscous Bowl with Tomato Salad by Medha Swaminathan combines fragrant couscous with roasted cauliflower, tofu, and a fresh tomato salad. Full of aromatics, such as turmeric, bay leaf, and ginger, this warming meal is simple and flavorful.

3. 15-Minute Sweet Stuffed Ramiro Peppers With Salted Lemon Yogurt

Source: 15-Minute Sweet Stuffed Ramiro Peppers With Salted Lemon Yogurt

If you can source Ramiro peppers around you, then you are in for a treat! This type of pepper has a thinner skin than regular bell peppers, so they roast faster with a sweet, smoky taste. If they are not available, bell peppers will do the trick as well in this delicious recipe for 15-Minute Sweet Stuffed Ramiro Peppers With Salted Lemon Yogurt by 15 Minute Vegan. A mix of couscous, herbs, slivered almonds, and raisins fills each smoky pepper.

4. Couscous with Tomatoes and Olives

Source: Couscous with Tomatoes and Olives

This recipe for Couscous with Tomatoes and Olives by Kelly Jaggers is simple and uses just a few ingredients. This dish has a Mediterranean flair and would make a great mid-week dinner.

5. Moroccan Couscous

Source: Moroccan Couscous

The mixture of flavors in this recipe for Moroccan Couscous by Amarilis Moldes is a pure explosion: the spices, the sweetness of the raisins, the crunch of the pumpkin seeds. Simply delicious!

6. Couscous Stuffed Eggplant with Lemon Tahini Sauce

Source: Couscous Stuffed Eggplant with Lemon Tahini Sauce

This Couscous Stuffed Eggplant with Lemon Tahini Sauce by Kristina Jug & Mitja Bezenšek is easy to make, though it does take a while to bake and assemble the stuffing. But, it’s so worth it! The eggplant is tender and delicious, and the couscous filling provides a nice side to the vegetable. The Lemon Tahini Sauce drizzle on top helps keep the dish hydrated and adds a zing to the overall taste.

7. Couscous Lentil Patties

Source: Couscous Lentil Patties

These Couscous Lentil Patties by Deniz Kilic consist of only ten ingredients: So very simple and cheap! Try it – you will love it!

8. Roasted Cauliflower Shakshuka

Source: Roasted Cauliflower Shakshuka

If you need shakshuka in your life, then you need to try this Roasted Cauliflower Shakshuka by Kristen Genton. It may deviate from the traditional, but it is delicious nonetheless. Sweet, smoky, and savory, roasted cauliflower steaks are served atop pearl couscous cooked in a sauce infused with harissa, smoked paprika, and cumin. It’s the perfect start to your weekend — or, if you like breakfast for dinner, a great way to end your day.

9. Moroccan Pilaf Stuffed Squash

Source: Moroccan Pilaf Stuffed Squash

This savory Moroccan Pilaf Stuffed Squash by Emily Brees will soon become one of your favorites! Seasoned with fresh ginger, and dashes of Ras al Hanout and Za’atar and topped with harissa and kefir, the flavors are heartwarming and exotic. Stuff it into some tender, brightly-hued squash for a lovely and seasonal dish!

10. Israeli Couscous Risotto

Source: Israeli Couscous Risotto

This delicious Israeli Couscous Risotto by Medha Swaminathan is made with pearl couscous and asparagus three ways — roasted, sautéed, and puréed. Creamy and bursting with spring flavor, this hearty dish celebrates asparagus. Risotto is creamy and luxurious on its own, but adding the asparagus purée makes it even more luxurious.

11. Mediterranean Couscous in Red Pepper Sauce

Source: Mediterranean Couscous in Red Pepper Sauce

This Mediterranean Couscous in Red Pepper Sauce by Kuteer and Trisha Zanasi is a beautiful couscous dish, packed with Mediterranean flavor, covered with a sweet and creamy red pepper sauce, and topped with veggie pasta. This is (almost) too pretty to eat!

12. Slow Cooker North African Couscous

Source: Slow Cooker North African Couscous

Root vegetables are dominant in African cuisine. Add that to the spicy-laden flavors of North Africa and you get some really good food. North African Couscous is rich in flavors and so easy to prepare. For this Slow Cooker North African Couscous by Ginny McMeans, vegetables and spices go in the crock pot. At dinner, serve over infused couscous.

13. No-Bake Flourless Couscous Squares

Source: No-Bake Flourless Couscous Squares

These No-Bake Flourless Couscous Squares by Nissrine Boufawaz are made from whole wheat couscous, a mixture of dried fruits for sweetness, pumpkin seeds for added crunch, apple juice, and water — simple as that. They are perfect for breakfast or as a snack throughout the day. They are light and tasty and cake-like without the flour and baking. I put them together on Monday evening and enjoyed them over the next few days as a snack on the go.

14. Crunchy Couscous Tacos With Sweet-Spicy Jalapeno Dressing

Source: Crunchy Couscous Tacos With Sweet-Spicy Jalapeno Dressing

The jalapenos are crucial in this Crunchy Couscous Tacos With Sweet-Spicy Jalapeno Dressing by Aine Carlin and so is their minced nature – just keep going over them with a sharp knife until you get the desired ‘squishy’ consistency. And, then, just mix it through the couscous and pour it generously on top before consumption. This would also make a great zingy salad dressing or a yummy dip for bread.

15. Couscous and Chestnut Stuffing

Source: Couscous and Chestnut Stuffing

This Couscous and Chestnut Stuffing by Clémence Moulaert is light and packed with gentle, soothing flavors. The wonderful thing about stuffing is that you can do whatever you want with it: shake up the flavors, add more or less seasoning, use bread, or go off the traditional path with some other grains. It’s your party, you eat what you want! I wanted couscous, chestnuts, and just a little bit of creamy pumpkin, so that’s what I put together. And that’s what I’m having this Christmas.

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