Perfect Couscous - Once Upon A Chef

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A versatile and super-easy side, this couscous recipe comes together in minutes with hardly any effort. It’s light, fluffy, and perfect for soaking up your favorite sauces or serving alongside grilled meats and roasted veggies.

steamed couscous in bowl with plaid linen napkin.

Couscous is a North African dish made from tiny steamed granules of semolina flour. Though it looks like a grain, it’s actually a type of tiny pasta. Traditionally, it’s steamed in a special pot—a process that takes time and patience. Here in the States, we typically rely on the instant variety, which couldn’t be easier to prepare—just add hot liquid and let it sit for 5 minutes.

While the basic method on the package works fine, with a few simple tweaks, you can take it from basic to truly delicious. Whether you’re pairing it with a Moroccan tagines, grilled meats, or roasted veggies, it’s a speedy, satisfying alternative to rice or potatoes.

“This takes couscous to another level! It’s a frequent side dish in our house.”

What You’ll Need To Make Couscous

Couscous ingredients including sea salt, butter, and olive oil.

Low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth): The liquid used to cook the couscous. Broth adds more flavor than water, but water works fine if you want to keep the flavor more neutral.
Butter & Extra-virgin Olive Oil: A combo that adds richness and helps the couscous stay fluffy and flavorful.
Instant couscous: These tiny, pre-steamed semolina granules cook almost instantly by absorbing hot liquid, resulting in a light and fluffy texture.
Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Types of Couscous Explained

Couscous might seem simple, but there are a few different kinds, each with its own texture and cooking style.

Instant: This is the kind you’ll most often find in U.S. grocery stores. It’s made from tiny semolina granules that are pre-steamed and dried, so it cooks fast—just add hot liquid. It’s light, fluffy, and great for quick side dishes or salads.

Traditional: This type is steamed (not boiled) the old-fashioned way—usually over a simmering stew in a pot called a couscousière. It’s extra fluffy and delicate, but it’s a more involved, time-consuming process.

Israeli or Pearl Couscous: Despite the name, Israeli couscous is quite different from traditional couscous. The pearls are larger and rounder, with a chewy texture and mild, nutty flavor. You cook it like pasta, and it holds up well in grain bowls, pilafs, or tossed into salads, like my Israeli Couscous Salad with Dried Fruit.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Boil the liquid. In a medium pot, bring the water or broth to a boil. Add a drizzle of olive oil, a small pat of butter, and a pinch of salt for flavor, then add the couscous.

Couscous pouring into a pot of boiling broth.

Step 2: Steam the couscous. Take the pot off the heat, cover, and let it sit for 5 minutes to steam. Make sure the pot stays tightly covered while steaming—trapped steam is what softens the couscous evenly. When you lift the lid after 5 minutes, the couscous will look flat and compact.

Steamed couscous in flat layer in a pot.

Step 3: Fluff. Right away, use a fork to fluff the couscous and break up any clumps. (Using a fork, not a spoon, helps separate the grains without mashing them.) Make sure to do this while it’s still warm—once it cools, it can stick together.

Serving Ideas

Couscous is super versatile and works with a variety of dishes. It soaks up sauces from dishes like Moroccan brisket, chicken tagine, and hearty stews. It’s equally good with grilled entrees like Moroccan meatballs, grilled Moroccan chicken or lamb kofta.

For something lighter, use it as a base for salads—it’s wonderful in my warm couscous salad with apricot vinaigrette, or you can create your own by tossing in chopped veggies, fresh herbs, a splash of lemon juice, and maybe something crunchy like nuts or cucumbers. You can also spice it up with warm seasonings or pair it with roasted vegetables for an easy side.

More Side Dish Recipes You May Like

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Golden Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Almonds
Perfect Basmati Rice: A Step-by-Step Guide
Israeli Couscous Salad with Dried Fruit
Perfect Jasmine Rice
Wild Rice Salad with Dried Cranberries, Apples & Orange Vinaigrette
Rice Pilaf with Caramelized Onion, Orange, Cherry & Pistachio

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Perfect Fluffy Couscous

steamed couscous in bowl with plaid linen napkin.

By Jennifer Segal

This quick and easy couscous recipe is perfect for soaking up sauces or rounding out a weeknight meal. Bonus–it’s on the table in under 10 minutes!

Servings: 4 to 6 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 5 Minutes Total Time: 10 Minutes

IngredientsMetric Cup Measures

1¾ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cups (10 oz) instant couscous

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, bring the water (or broth), salt, butter, and oil to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover tightly with a lid, and remove from heat. Let the couscous steam for 5 minutes. Use a fork to fluff the couscous and break up any clumps. Serve warm.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The couscous can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, reheat it in the microwave until hot.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (6 servings)
Calories: 226
Fat: 5g
Saturated fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 37g
Sugar: 0g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 7g
Sodium: 220mg
Cholesterol: 5mg

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

See more recipes:

Freezer-Friendly
Make-Ahead
Vegetables & Sides
Vegetarian
Moroccan

Comments

This takes couscous to another level! It’s a frequent side dish in our house. Thank you for sharing.
- — Claude on January 12, 2025
- Reply
Jen… I am one of your biggest fans. I would say 99.9 of your recipes turn over the top fabulous and there’s room to make ttweak to my Spanish heritage. I’m reading all of the reviews and I’m wondering if people are misunderstanding pearl/Israeli couscous or instant couscous. Before I try, I just want to make sure because the picture looks like instant. Sorry to bother. I guess I get defensive for you when I see people perhaps misunderstanding an ingredient.😳🥴 thank you again for years of great cooking..
- — Lorena on April 18, 2024
- Reply
- Hi Lorena, thanks for your very kind words – so glad you like the recipes! The couscous that should be used here is the small grain/instant. BTW, I just added that to the recipe in case that has caused confusion for others. Hope that clarifies and that it comes out well for you!
  - — Jenn on April 19, 2024
  - Reply
  - This recipe makes the perfect chef’s kiss texture. I was struggling to get the texture right for some time and I love the flavor it soaks in. I just omitted the butter for cholesterol reasons and it is still pretty good. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
    - — Jackie on August 12, 2025
    - Reply

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Welcome - I'm Jennifer Segal - Classically Trained Chef, Cookbook Author & Busy Mom

Once upon a time, I went to culinary school and worked in fancy restaurants. Now, I’m cooking for my family and sharing all my tested & perfected recipes with you here! Read more…