One of the easiest, fastest and most versatile side dishes for family lunches or dinners, plain couscous is taken to a delicious new level with this Herb and Vegetable Couscous recipe! It’s the perfect dish to pair with meat, poultry, fish or vegetables, and can be made in 12 minutes. Adapt this side dish to suit your family’s taste and/or what ingredients you have on hand, and fancy up your meal, fast.
Many people think couscous is a grain, but it’s actually a type of pasta, made from durum wheat semolina. These tiny steamed granules of pasta dough are traditionally served with stew spooned over, to soak up all the yummy liquid. My family love it as a perfect side dish to protein, with a light salad too though. By adding fresh herbs, vegetables and extra flavourings, it becomes a stand-out couscous dish!
Ingredients for Herb and Vegetable Couscous
This side dish recipe is made using beautiful fresh ingredients, along with just a couple of pantry staples:
Parsley – I use fresh flat-leaf/continental parsley from my garden.
Lemon zest – One to two large strips of zest adds a fresh pop to this dish.
Carrot, red onion, capsicum/bell pepper – This recipe uses carrot, red onion and capsicum/bell pepper, but you can really include any vegetables that you’re happy to eat lightly steamed. Finely diced zucchini or celery is a nice addition. I like to use red or yellow bell peppers/capsicum for the colour, and slightly sweeter flavour.
Garlic – Always, for flavour! 😁Sunstitute with 2 teaspoons garlic powder if necessary.
Olive oil – It not only adds flavour, but helps the couscous to separate easier. My preference is to use extra virgin olive oil.
Chicken stock cube – Stock adds much more flavour than plain water, and chicken is my preferred choice. You can also use vegetable stock, to make a vegan dish. If you make your own stocks in your Thermomix, then substitute 😊.
Couscous – Regular couscous
Water
How to make this side dish
Thermomixer? Use your machine to chop the herbs and vegetables, with the exception of the capsicum. Even when making this couscous recipe in my Thermomix I still prefer to dice the capsicum with a knife, rather than adding it to the Thermomix with the onion and carrot. I think it makes for neater presentation 😁. Sauté the garlic and boil the stock in your machine. Then in a heat-proof dish, combine the herbs, vegetables and couscous. Pour over the stock. Cover the mixture and let it steam for 5 minutes, before fluffing with a fork and garnishing with parsley and lemon wedges, for a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
Conventional cook? Before I had my Thermomix, I made this pretty easily by hand. It may take a touch longer than 12 minutes though, depending on how good your knife skills are 😊. If making conventionally, the process is the same – firstly you chop the herbs and vegetables, sauté the garlic and bring the stock to the boil. Combine the herbs, vegetables and couscous, and then pour over the stock. Cover the mixture and let it steam for 5 minutes, before fluffing with a fork and garnishing with parsley and lemon wedges, for a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and detailed steps for both thermo cooker and conventional cooking methods.
Adapting this recipe for babies and toddlers
If you’re serving this Herb and Vegetable Couscous to a baby or toddler, you can lower the salt content by substituting the chicken stock cube and water with the same amount of salt-free or salt-reduced stock. Once you’ve reserved a portion for your child, you can then season to taste with salt for the rest of the family. We love easy sides that work as great family and baby food!
How to serve Herb and Vegetable Couscous
I normally serve this Herb and Vegetable Couscous with Lamb and Mint Meatballs, one of my boys’ favorite recipes. You can have the complete meal prepared and cooked in 20 minutes! I find it so easy so meal prep this and make ahead of time too for those busy nights.
If you try this Herb and Vegetable Couscous, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing about how my recipes work for you! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more delicious recipes.
Happy cooking,
Chloe x
Herb and Vegetable Couscous
Category: SidesTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 20 g / 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley
- 5 g / 2-3 strips lemon zest
- 70 g / 1 carrot peeled and chopped into 3cm/1 inch pieces
- 1/2 red onion peeled and halved
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 chicken stock cube (Note 1)
- 290 g / 1 1/3 cups water
- 195 g / 1 cup couscous
- 85 g / 1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper
- extra parsley and lemon wedges to garnish
Thermo Cooker Instructions
- Place parsley and lemon zest into the mixing bowl. Chop 10 seconds, speed 6, MC on. Transfer to a large bowl or serving dish. If any large pieces of zest remain, return them to the mixing bowl and repeat.
- Add carrot and red onion to the mixing bowl. Chop 3 seconds, speed 5, MC on. Transfer to the serving dish. If any large pieces remain, return them to the mixing bowl and repeat.
- Add garlic to the mixing bowl. Chop 2 seconds, speed 8, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl.
- Add olive oil and sauté 3 minutes, 100°C, speed 1, MC off.
- Add stock cube and water to the mixing bowl. Bring to the boil 5 minutes, 100°C, speed 1, MC off. Put the simmering basket on the lid to prevent splatter. While this is cooking, finely dice the capsicum.
- Add couscous and capsicum to the serving dish, and stir to combine.
- Pour boiling stock from mixing bowl over couscous mixture, cover and leave to steam for 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork to break up any clumps. Garnish with extra parsley and lemon wedges.
Conventional Instructions
- Finely chop the parsley and lemon zest. Transfer to a large mixing bowl or serving dish.
- Finely dice the carrot, red onion and capsicum, and add to the serving dish.
- Finely chop the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and add the garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add stock cube and water, and bring to the boil.
- Add couscous to the serving dish, and stir to combine.
- Pour boiling stock over couscous mixture, cover and leave to steam for 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork to break up any clumps. Garnish with extra parsley and lemon wedges.
