Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Warm the broth’s 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and ginger for 30–60 seconds, then stir in tomato paste for about 1 minute. Keep the spices fragrant rather than scorched.
- Pour in the broth’s 4 cups vegetable broth. Add carrots, squash and eggplant. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add zucchini and chickpeas; simmer for 10–15 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the carrots and squash yield to a fork and the eggplant is soft all the way through. Add a splash of water if evaporation becomes excessive, keeping a generous broth.
- While the vegetables simmer, bring the couscous’s 1 1/2 cups broth to a boil. Place dry instant couscous in a heatproof bowl with its tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour over the hot broth, stir once and cover tightly. Stand for 5–7 minutes, or according to the package, until absorbed. Use the package’s ratio if it differs; pearl couscous needs a different cooking method.
- Fluff the couscous gently with a fork. Taste the vegetable broth and season with salt and black pepper as desired. Divide couscous among four deep bowls or spread on a deep serving platter. Arrange the tender vegetables and chickpeas over it, then ladle on the spiced broth. Offer optional parsley, toasted nuts and lemon at the table.
Nutrition
Notes
The grain matters: Use ordinary instant semolina couscous. Its small grains hydrate under a tight cover; pearl couscous is a different product and cannot follow this method. Follow the package liquid ratio if it differs from 1:1. Ordinary couscous contains wheat and gluten.
Vegetable tenderness: Keep the cuts small and even. Eggplant goes in with the firmer vegetables so it has time to become fully soft, rather than remaining spongy. Zucchini goes in later to keep its shape. Sweet potato can replace squash in similar-size cubes.
Flavor and serving: This is a Moroccan-inspired vegetable couscous made with a quick covered hydration method. Serve the broth generously, with optional lemon and parsley for freshness. A pinch of saffron or a small handful of dried apricots is an optional variation that changes the flavor and nutrition.
Allergens and storage: Contains wheat. Optional almonds or pistachios add tree nuts; check the broth and other packaged ingredients for additional allergens and vegan suitability. Cool promptly and refrigerate the couscous and vegetable broth separately at 40°F (4°C) or colder for 3–4 days. Reheat thoroughly, adding a little water to loosen the grain.
Portions: Four equal portions include all measured oil, grain, chickpeas, vegetables and broth. Optional nuts, parsley, lemon, added water, extra seasoning and accompaniments are excluded from the nutrition estimate.
