This curry couscous is a quick side dish that can be ready in 10 minutes. It goes well with any type of meat, veggies, or a plant-based protein of your choice.
Elevate your meal with this curried couscous! It’s so easy to make, the perfect last-minute side dish to make when you are in a hurry.
This curried couscous is loaded with raisins, almonds and seasoned well with curry powder and turmeric. It’s so healthy and tasty!
What is Couscous?
There are three main types of couscous you can find in the market; Moroccan couscous, Israeli couscous, and Lebanese couscous (Moghrabieh). For this particular recipe, you’ll be using Moroccan couscous.
This type of couscous is a staple dish throughout North Africa but is also widely consumed in France. It can be served as a main dish, side dish, or dessert.
Moroccan couscous is a processed grain good made of semolina flour from durum wheat. It’s so small that it looks like a grain but technically it’s pasta.
You can find Moroccan couscous at any grocery market. It’s pretty expensive, around $1.99 per pound.
How to Cook Couscous and How to Tell When Couscous is Done
Couscous doesn’t require a long cooking time. Generally, it takes about 5 - 10 minutes and doesn’t require a ton of seasoning to make it taste good.
Due to its small size, Morrocan couscous cooks within 5 minutes. Here's the most basic way to cook Moroccan couscous:
- In a pot, mix water, butter, and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from the heat then stir in couscous.
- Cover the pot and leave it for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, add toppings (optional), and serve.
Couscous becomes fluffy, chewy, and firm in texture when cooked.
Ingredients You'll Need to Make Curry Couscous
To make curried couscous you'll need Moroccan couscous, butter, olive oil, curry powder, turmeric powder, raisins, sliced or slivered almonds, parsley, and carrots.
Sliced or slivered almonds. It's optional, you can skip it if you like.
Raisins. You can use any type of raisins; black raisins, red raisins, golden raisins, or currants.
Carrots. Use fresh carrot and there is no need to cook it.
How to Make Curry Couscous
The cooking process is pretty simple. You just need to follow the basic cooking step for couscous then add toppings. So here's how:
- Cook the Couscous
- Mix water, salt, and butter in a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil then remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the coucous, cover the pot, and leave the mixture for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the mixture with a fork.
2. Add toppings
- Add curry powder, turmeric powder, raisins, almonds, carrots, and parsley into the pot. Stir to combine.
What to Serve with Curried Couscous
Couscous is a flavorful side dish that can be served with:
- Stew: Slow Cooker Lamb Shank, Crock Pot Chicken Stew
- Baked or Grilled Meat: Lamb Kofta Kebabs, Chicken Shawarma
- Seafood: Pan-Seared Branzino Fish Fillets, Air Fryer Tilapia, Pan-Fried Trout
FAQ and Cooking Tips
You can purchase Couscus at Trader Joe's, Vons, Ralph's, Walmart, Amazon for around $1.99 per pound.
You can keep the leftover in an airtight container. Properly stored, it can last up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Check Out More Couscous Recipes:
📖 Recipe
Curry Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 cup Morrocan couscous
- 1 cup water
- 1-2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon curry powder
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh carrots
- ⅓ cup chopped parsley
- ⅓ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoon sliced or slivered almonds
Instructions
- Mix water, salt, and butter in a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil then remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the couscous, cover the pot, and soak it for 5 minutes. Fluff the mixture with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients into the pot. Stir to combine.
Nathan
I'm a big fan of couscous and an even bigger fan of any recipe that takes less than 10 minutes!
Jess
10 minutes for an easy and delicious side dish? Yes please!
Jacqueline Meldrum
Mmmmm! Looks good! I would never have thought of flavouring couscous like this.
Carrie Robinson
I am all about anything curry! And I love how quickly this comes together. 🙂
Rika
I love curry too, Carrie! I think it goes well with couscous.
Best,
Rika
Teodora Grujic
Very interesting recipe, thank you for sharing!
Mindee Taylor
This was such an easy side dish to throw together to go with our chicken tonight!
Rika
Thanks for trying and sharing your feedback, Mindee!
Michele
I can't believe how easy this was to make and it was so delicious! I will definitely be making this again!
Rika
Thanks, Michele!
kushigalu@gmail.com
Love couscous. Thanks for sharing.
Kate
A great, easy cous cous that's packed with flavour - just what you need for a weeknight dinner or lunchbox. Thanks so much!
Rika
You're welcome, Kate!
Ashley Lecker
This is the best side dish! I love to serve it with grilled chicken or grilled p pork tenderloin.
Rika
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Ashley.