How To Cook Couscous

Couscous has got to be the coolest grain ever because there is no other grain you can cook faster than this. Once you learn how to cook couscous, you’ll open up to a whole new world of easy, delicious and super quick recipes.

Whether it is a fresh couscous salad for a potluck, meal prep bowls for the week’s lunch, or a light and healthy side dish, couscous has endless possibilities.

Let’s go into the details of how to cook perfectly fluffy couscous first, and then I’ll show you two delicious recipes you can make with it. A super quick and easy Couscous Lunch Bowl and a delicate Baked Haddock and Herb Couscous Dinner.

How to make Couscous

The only thing you really need is couscous, obviously, some water and a way to boil it, a measuring cup, and some sea salt (optional).

There are only two instructions that you need to remember: 1:1 ratio and 10 minutes! I told you it was easy.

I’m using regular couscous for the recipes in this post. Now, if you choose to use whole-grain couscous, just adjust the ratio to 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup of whole-grain couscous.

There are two ways you can cook couscous:

Stovetop Version

1. Place a small pot with a tight-fitting lid without holes on the stove.
2. Add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil covered.
3. Once the water is boiling, add 1 cup of couscous, a pinch of sea salt if you like, and give it a quick stir.
4. Close the lid tight again and remove the pot from the heat. Set a timer for 10 minutes.

Kettle and Bowl Version (faster and easier!)

1. Add 1 cup of couscous to a bowl.
2. Boil some water in a kettle.
3. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the bowl, add a pinch of sea salt if desired, stir and cover it with a plate. Set a timer for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove the lid from the pot or the plate from the bowl, and add a blob of butter or a drizzle of olive oil. Use a fork and fluff the couscous. Done!

Now that you know how to cook couscous, let me show you two delicious ways to use it.

Couscous Lunch Bowls

Quick and easy nutritionally balanced lunch bowls for those mornings you completely forgot you’re a mom and have children that need to take lunch to school. No? Just me? Or you want a healthy budget-friendly lunch to take to work, instead of an overpriced and not-so-healthy take-out lunch.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Couscous – regular or whole-wheat.
• Tuna – either canned flake or chunk tuna works well.
• Veggies – whatever you have on hand that can be eaten raw. Bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
• Herbs – fresh cilantro, parsley, and basil are all good options. Omit if you don’t have any.
• Lime – fresh lime juice brings out the flavors. Instead, you can use fresh lemon juice or even a drizzle of vinegar. Anything acidic basically.
• Olive Oil – it gives the couscous salad a nice texture and helps combine all the ingredients together.
• Sea Salt – add as much or as little as you like.

How to make Couscous Lunch Bowls

Now, let’s put 13 minutes on the clock:

1. Bring water to a boil in your kettle. Pour 1/2 cup couscous into a bowl.
2. Pour 1/2 cup of boiling water into the bowl, season with sea salt, and cover with a plate. Set it aside.
3. Get a can of tuna, open it and drain it.
4. Grab a chopping board and chop up whatever veggies you have that can be eaten raw. I almost always have some bell peppers and cherry tomatoes on hand. If you have a few herbs, finely chop them too.
5. Fluff your couscous, then add the tuna, chopped veggies, some lime juice, lemon juice or vinegar, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir everything to combine.
6. Serve it in lunch containers or lunch bowls and voila! Lunch is ready.

Baked Haddock with Herb Couscous

A super easy and delicious dinner for those busy weeknights. This dish is incredible, you’ll LOVE it! For the printable recipe go here.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Couscous – regular or whole-wheat.
• Haddock – 1 pound of haddock fillets.
• Herbs – two handfuls of parsley, a handful of mint leaves and a handful of fresh dill.
• Olive Oil – you only need a drizzle to make all the ingredients stick together.
• Butter – use butter or ghee to prevent the fillets from sticking to the baking dish.
• Sea Salt and Pepper – add as much or as little as you like.
• Lemon Juice – what’s fish without lemon? Boring! Lemon is a must!

How to make Baked Haddock with Herb Couscous

1. Take the haddock fillets out of the fridge and pat dry with a paper towel. Season generously with sea salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Get an ovenproof dish and place it in the oven. Preheat the oven, with the dish inside, to 400F.
3. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, add 1 cup of couscous, and some sea salt and cover tight. Remove pot from heat and set a timer for 10 minutes.
4. Get a chopping board and finely chop the parsley, mint leaves and dill.
5. Once the oven is hot, remove the dish from the oven and place it on a heat-proof surface. Add a blob of butter to the dish and swirl it around until is almost melted. Remember to wear oven mitts, the dish is hot!
6. Add the haddock fillets to the buttered dish, season a bit more with salt and pepper if needed, and then place the dish in the oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness.
7. In the meantime, prepare the herb couscous. Fluff the couscous, then add 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped herbs to the pot and stir well.
8. Serve the couscous on plates. There is enough for 2 servings. Add the haddock to the plates once it’s done baking, squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top and enjoy!

If you liked these delicious couscous recipes, check out these Healthy Meal Prep Bowls, or this Cauliflower Couscous, for a super healthy couscous alternative.