This vegetable couscous recipe is inspired by a traditional Moroccan dish, Seven-Vegetable Couscous, which typically consists of a medley of stewed vegetables (and sometimes meat) served with couscous. Looking for a good way to use up those late summer vegetables? Well, look no further! This is bound to be your new favorite couscous recipe: Tender, charred vegetables are seasoned Moroccan-style with ras el hanout and cinnamon, roasted to tender perfection, and served over a bed of fluffy couscous. Roasted vegetable couscous is the perfect vegan dinner!
With the abundance of vegetables, loads of chickpeas, and couscous, this vegan dish is more than satisfying to serve by itself. This vegetable couscous is plenty filling to stand on its own with the abundance of vegetables, couscous, and protein-packed chickpeas. But you can also pair it with lamb or roast chicken.
In addition to instant couscous, bright seasonal vegetables and warm Moroccan spices like ras el hanout come together to create a hearty, nutritious, comforting vegan dinner. This vegetarian recipe has a long ingredient list but that doesn’t mean it’s complicated or difficult to make.
Simply roast them in a pan with seasonings like ras el hanout and cinnamon for a warm Moroccan flair, and serve them over a bed of light, fluffy couscous. With this recipe, once your veggies are chopped, the hard work is over. Top with dried apricots and slivered almonds for a subtle sweetness and a little crunch.
I love that you can use whatever seasonal vegetables you have in your fridge or garden for this recipe. Try to fill your roasting pan with vegetables of different colors, textures, and flavors for a well-rounded dish.
Read also: Quick Vegan Couscous
I'm sure I've said this before: I love couscous so much I could totally make a meal of it. But there are better ways. Couscous is good on it's own, but it's so much better when you jazz it up with veggies and spices. This Moroccan couscous is my absolute favorite way to do that. It's loaded with flavor, pretty easy to make, and comes together on one pot. It's also so versatile!
Quick & Easy Moroccan Couscous (Vegan)
Ingredients
This Moroccan couscous is perfectly spiced, and bursting with hearty chickpeas, vibrant veggies, sweet raisins, and crunchy almonds.
- Chickpeas: I used a 15-ounce can of chickpeas for a shortcut, but you can cook dried chickpeas if you prefer. You’ll need ½ cup dried chickpeas or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas to replace the canned chickpeas.
- Tomatoes: A 28-ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes works well here. These whole canned tomatoes are sweet and juicy.
- Dried apricot: I chopped up and sautéed some dried apricot until it was warm and caramelized to amplify its sweetness. Cooking with dried fruit and nuts is a hallmark of North African and Middle Eastern cuisine.
- Almonds: Toast some slivered almonds for crunch to add texture to balance the tender vegetables.
- Cilantro or parsley: I’m a big fan of finishing off a dish with a large handful of fresh herbs.
- Red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper: Use red pepper flakes for more heat.
Feel free to change things up! Use broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, mushrooms, turnips, cabbage -basically, any vegetable you can roast can be thrown in here! The flavor will be different, but it will be just as hearty and taste just as delicious! Or try our cold weather version: Sweet Potato Salad with Pearl Couscous.
Other ingredients:
Read also: Nutritious Moroccan Soup
- Red bell pepper
- Spices
- Vegetable broth
- Diced tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Raisins
- Couscous
- Sliced almonds
- Lemon juice
Instructions
Start by roasting your vegetables. While they cook, soak the couscous and prepare the dried fruit and toasted nut garnish. Combine everything, and voila! A gorgeous, saucy meatless dinner!
- Salt the eggplant. Cut 1 small eggplant into 1-inch cubes and toss them into a colander with a big pinch of kosher salt. Set the colander in a clean sink and allow the eggplant to sit while you work on the remaining vegetables.
- Prepare the other vegetables. Cut a large onion, zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, and carrots into large chunks. Place the veggies into a large baking dish with 3 cloves of minced garlic. Season with kosher salt and toss. Wipe the eggplant dry and add it to the baking dish.
- Season the vegetables. Season the vegetables with 2 teaspoons ras el hanout, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, and a good pinch of black pepper.
- Broil the vegetables. Place the baking dish about 6 inches from the broiler. Broil the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until they have a nice char.
- Roast the vegetables. Add to the baking dish a 28-ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes, 1 cup of water or vegetable broth, and a 1-inch piece of ginger that you’ve grated. Sprinkle another ½ teaspoon ras el hanout and a little more EVOO. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the vegetables are tender (30 to 45 minutes).
- Soak the couscous. While the veggies are in the oven, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Season with kosher salt before adding 2 cups of dry instant couscous. Immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot. Don’t disturb the couscous for about 10 minutes.
- Prepare the dried fruit and nut garnish. Warm a small amount of extra virgin olive oil in a small pan. Add ½ cup dried apricots and cook. Toss frequently, until the apricots are warmed through and caramelized. Add ½ cup slivered almonds and toast until they’re golden-brown.
- Assemble the vegetable couscous. Transfer the couscous to a large platter. Top it with as much of the roasted vegetables as you can.
Here's a table summarizing the steps:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Prepare Vegetables | Cut vegetables into chunks, salt eggplant, and place in a baking dish with garlic and kosher salt. |
| Season Vegetables | Add ras el hanout, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, and black pepper. |
| Broil Vegetables | Broil for 5 minutes until charred. |
| Roast Vegetables | Add tomatoes, broth, and ginger. Cover and bake for 30-45 minutes. |
| Soak Couscous | Boil water, add salt and couscous, then cover and let sit for 10 minutes. |
| Prepare Garnish | Warm apricots in olive oil until caramelized, then toast almonds until golden brown. |
| Assemble Dish | Transfer couscous to a platter and top with roasted vegetables. |
Serving Suggestions
You don’t really need anything alongside this dish - it’s plenty filling on its own! But for some crunch, serve it with a light salad, like my 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad or Shirazi salad.
I typically serve this as a meatless dinner, but if you’re looking for a meat-based protein boost, chicken pairs really well with vegetable couscous.
Make Ahead Tips
If you want to do some prep ahead of time, go ahead and roast the vegetables up to 2 nights ahead of time.
Read also: Easy Moroccan Couscous
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply allow leftovers to come to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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tags: #Moroccan
