Vegetable Couscous with Chickpeas

Name: Vegetable Couscous with Chickpeas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) large yellow onion, halved and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) wedges; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1½ tablespoons (10 g) ras el hanout; 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste; 3 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) chunks; 3 medium (about 1 lb) (450 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces, juices kept; 2 cups (475 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 2 medium (about 14 oz) (400 g) medium zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) half-moons; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups / 250 g drained); 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 1 medium (60 g) lemon, half juiced (about 1 tablespoon) and half cut into wedges for serving; 1½ cups (270 g) instant couscous; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ½ teaspoon (2½ g) kosher salt; 1½ cups (355 ml) water, freshly boiled; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped; 1 tablespoon (15 g) harissa paste, for serving, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant North African-style stew of carrots, zucchini, tomatoes and chickpeas, simmered with ras el hanout and spooned over fluffy steamed couscous. Easy, vegan and ready in an hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: 4 generous main-course servings (about 8 cups total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the vegetable stew
3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) large yellow onion, halved and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) wedges
3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1½ tablespoons (10 g) ras el hanout
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
3 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) chunks
3 medium (about 1 lb) (450 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces, juices kept
2 cups (475 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
2 medium (about 14 oz) (400 g) medium zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) half-moons
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups / 250 g drained)
1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 medium (60 g) lemon, half juiced (about 1 tablespoon) and half cut into wedges for serving
For the couscous
1½ cups (270 g) instant couscous
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) kosher salt
1½ cups (355 ml) water, freshly boiled
To finish
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon (15 g) harissa paste, for serving, to taste (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large, deep sauté pan or heavy-bottomed stockpot with lid (4–5 qt / 4–5 L)
Medium heatproof bowl (2 qt / 2 L) with a plate or lid to cover
Chef's knife and cutting board
Fork for fluffing couscous
Kettle or small saucepan for boiling water
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Use fine-grain instant (pre-steamed) couscous, the common boxed kind. Pearl (Israeli) or hand-rolled couscous needs a different method.
Check your ras el hanout: blends vary in heat and saltiness. Start with the amount given and adjust at the end.
Boil a kettle of water when you reach the couscous step so it is ready to pour.
Cut the vegetables to the sizes listed so they all finish cooking at the same time.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Cut the onion, carrots, tomatoes and zucchini as listed in the ingredients.
- Mince the garlic, drain and rinse the chickpeas, and chop the parsley.
- Keep the zucchini and chickpeas in a separate bowl from the carrots, since they go in later.
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Ready when: Vegetables are cut to even sizes, so they cook at the same rate.
Tip: Cut carrots a little smaller than you think you need. They take the longest to soften.
2
Soften the onion
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan or heavy stockpot over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn golden at the edges.
Tip: If the onion browns quickly or sticks, lower the heat slightly. You want sweet, not scorched.
3
Bloom the spices
- Add the garlic, ras el hanout and tomato paste.
- Stir constantly for 1 minute so the spices toast in the oil and the paste darkens slightly.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly spiced and fragrant, and the tomato paste turns a deeper brick red.
Tip: Do not walk away. Ground spices and garlic can burn in seconds and turn bitter. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of broth.
4
Simmer carrots and tomatoes
- Stir in the carrots, chopped tomatoes with their juices, and the broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring once halfway.
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Ready when: A knife meets slight resistance in the carrots, which are about three-quarters tender.
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle, with small steady bubbles. A hard boil will reduce the sauce too quickly.
5
Add zucchini and chickpeas
- Stir in the zucchini and chickpeas.
- Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Zucchini is tender but still holds its shape, carrots are fully tender when pierced with a fork, and the broth is thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
Tip: Zucchini turns mushy fast. Start checking at 8 minutes.
6
Finish the stew
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Taste and add more salt, about ¼ teaspoon at a time, if needed.
- Cover and keep warm while you make the couscous.
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Ready when: The stew tastes bright and well seasoned, with no raw lemon sharpness.
Tip: Season after the lemon goes in. Acid changes how salty the stew tastes.
7
Steam the couscous
- Put the couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium heatproof bowl and stir to coat each grain.
- Pour in 1½ cups (355 ml) freshly boiled water, stir once, and cover tightly with a plate or lid.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: All the water is absorbed and the grains are tender with no hard center.
Tip: Water must be at a full boil when it hits the couscous, and the bowl must stay covered. Cool water makes gummy, uneven grains.
8
Fluff the couscous
- Uncover and rake through the couscous with a fork, breaking up clumps and lifting the grains from the bottom, for about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Grains are separate, light and fluffy rather than clumped together.
Tip: Use a fork, not a spoon. A spoon mashes the grains.
9
Serve
- Reheat the stew over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes if it has cooled.
- Mound the couscous on a platter or in shallow bowls, spoon the vegetables, chickpeas and broth over the top, and scatter with parsley.
- Serve with lemon wedges and harissa on the side.
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Ready when: The stew is steaming hot throughout.
Tip: Spoon extra broth over the couscous. It soaks into the grains and carries the flavor.

Good to know

Tips

Season in layers: salt the onion, the stew and the couscous separately so the whole dish tastes seasoned, not just the broth.
Keep the stew a little brothy. The couscous soaks up liquid at the table, so a saucy stew is ideal.
For extra richness, stir 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil into the fluffed couscous.
For a touch of sweetness and texture, add ¼ cup raisins with the carrots, or top with toasted slivered almonds.

Make ahead

The stew (through step 6) can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cool, refrigerate in an airtight container, and reheat gently, adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened. Make the couscous fresh just before serving for the best texture.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: store stew and couscous separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze the stew only, for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat the stew in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, adding a splash of water if needed. Reheat couscous in the microwave, covered, with 1 tablespoon of water per cup for 1 to 2 minutes, then fluff.

Substitutions

ras el hanout → 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger. Gives a similar warm, aromatic profile. The flavor will be a bit simpler.
instant couscous → whole wheat instant couscous. Use the same amounts and method. The flavor is nuttier and the texture slightly chewier.
ripe tomatoes → 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) diced tomatoes with their juices. Handy when fresh tomatoes are out of season. Reduce the broth to 1¾ cups (415 ml).
medium zucchini → butternut squash or sweet potato in ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes. Add with the carrots in step 4, since they take longer to cook than zucchini.