How to Cook Couscous Well, plus 10 Healthy Recipes for Every Meal

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Not sure how to cook couscous and on the hunt for that one-click-saves-all article that’s going to teach you, once and for all? Because couscous has a tendency to end up a right soggy lump of flavourless mush. Well, it’s your lucky day. WH have done the legwork.

What is couscous?

It hit mainstream supermarket shelves in Britain around ten years ago and you'd be lying if you said you weren't prone to picking up a Starbucks chicken and couscous salad box come Friday lunchtime. But, real talk: do you actually know what couscous is?

Made from semolina flour or durum wheat, couscous has been a traditional staple of North African cuisine since the seventh century. And, did you know? Couscous is technically a pasta, not a grain (don't worry: with its rice-like appearance, it's easy to see why you've been mistaking it for one all these years).

Is couscous good for you?

According to health coach Louise Murray (@live_well_with_lou), couscous is made up of majority carbohydrates, as it comes from semolina, with moderate levels of protein, fibre, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, too.

Fun fact: 100g of couscous contains 30% of your daily recommended intake of selenium, a powerful antioxidant that works to repair damaged cells and decrease inflammation in the body. Not bad.

How much couscous is one portion?

According to NHS guidelines, starchy foods like potatoes, pasta and bread are meant to make up around a third of your daily intake. Aim for an average of around 80 to 100g portion of cooked couscous.

How many calories in a portion of couscous?

A 100g portion of couscous would provide you with 112g calories worth of energy, 23g carbs, 3.8g protein and 0.2g fat. It's fairly similar to a portion of white pasta, which sits at 131 calories, 25g carbs, 5g protein and 1.1g fat, however much higher in fibre, vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin E.

Coeliacs beware: a common misconception about couscous is that it's wheat-free, but the truth is quite the opposite. It's actually made from wheat, so swerve if you've got a sensitivity or intolerance.

How much protein does a portion of couscous have?

As above, one portion contains 3.8g of protein. Couscous isn't known as a particularly high protein carb option, but it does check out for its other nutrition wins. As Murray highlights, couscous is made from whole-wheat flour, which doesn't make your blood sugar levels spike as much as other types of pasta which are made from more refined ingredients.

Wait.. there are different types of couscous?

Just like quinoa, there are a whole heap of different couscous types on the market, from Moroccan couscous, the smallest option, to Israeli, to Lebanese. Here's how to distinguish them:

Moroccan

The smallest of the three

Moroccan couscous is the strand you'll find in most major supermarkets.

Israeli

Otherwise known as pearl couscous

Medium in size; look for couscous roughly the size of peppercorns

Takes longer to cook

Nuttier flavour

Chewier texture.

Lebanese

The largest of the three

The longest cooking time.

How to cook couscous

According to Mimi Harrison, chef and owner of food blog Beat the Budget, cooking couscous at home should take you anywhere from five to ten minutes. For a simple way to cook couscous, try the following:

Measure out the couscous and stock using a ratio of one portion of couscous to one and a half portions of stock (eg 100g couscous, 150g stock).

Add the stock to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it starts to simmer, remove from the heat and pour in the couscous.

Cover the bowl of couscous with a lid and set aside for five minutes.

After five minutes, the couscous should have absorbed the stock. Using a fork, fluff up and separate the grains of couscous to aerate it.

Top tip: Mix your favourite dried herb or spice blend into the stock that you cook the couscous in. It adds flavour and depth to what can be a bland grain-esque pasta.

How to use couscous

There are a whole host of ways you can use quinoa, according to Mimi. You can use quinoa in:

Salads

Crusted fish or meats

Stews

Patties

Soups

Stuffed veggies

Sweet couscous

Couscous pudding

Where can you buy couscous?

Whether you're after dry couscous to cook yourself at home, ready-cooked couscous or sachets of the pre-flavoured stuff that just need water, most major supermarkets have got a whole selection for you. Do me mindful of the salt and sugar count of the pre-packaged options, but the Merchant Gourmet options are normally a-ok.

Holland & Barrett Cous Cous 500g

hollandandbarrett.com

£1.69

Waitrose Cauliflower & Kale Couscous300g

Waitrose waitrose.com

US$2.00

How to build a healthy bowl with couscous

If you're sold on trying couscous or keen to have (yet another) go at cooking it perfectly, let us help with what to serve it with. Generally speaking, NHS guidelines recomend you fill a third of your plate with the starchy stuff, a third with veg, about 25% with protein and 10% with fat. What about...

Tofu, edamame and couscous

Salmon, tenderstem broccoli and couscous

Chicken, roasted red peppers and couscous

10 healthy couscous recipes to try tonightCouscous recipes for breakfast and snacks

Kale and egg couscous breakfast bowl

From Jackie Newgent - Recipe here.

2. Carrot cake couscous breakfast porridge

From Eat Thrive Glow - Recipe here.

3. Pumpkin couscous fritters

From Lemon Thyme - Recipe here.

Couscous recipes for lunch and dinner

4. Israeli beetroot and feta couscous salad

From Live Eat Learn - Recipe here.

5. Couscous summer salad

From Pinch of Yum - Recipe here.

6. Halloumi with roast carrot, chickpeas and couscous

From Elizabeth Chloe - Recipe here

7. Skillet Chicken with couscous

From Feel Good Foodie - Recipe here

8. Mediterranean Couscous Salad

From Jessica Gavin - Recipe here

9. Spring couscous salad with basil vinaigrette

From Little Spice Jar - Recipe here

10. Chilli garlic prawns, sauteed spinach and sesame couscous

From Port and Fin - Recipe here

Now you know how to cook couscous like a pro, why not check out these healthy-ish pasta recipes?