How to make Moroccan couscous with roasted vegetables

A flavourful, hearty Moroccan Couscous  dish packed with roasted vegetables, chickpeas and almonds. It’s perfect for summer ! Enjoy as a healthy lunch or as a side with fish or chicken for a filling, exciting dinner.

So What’s In This Couscous?

• fresh veggies – bell peppers, carrots, onion, zucchini and garlic
• fresh cilantro and mint
• lemon
• spices – turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and coriander
• olive oil
• low-sodium chicken broth
• chickpeas
• almonds
• raisins
• couscous

How can this amazing salad not taste good with flavours like that? You can also easily adapt this couscous with your favourite veggies it’s great for using up what you have in you kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

How to Make This Tasty Couscous

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Grease baking sheet
• Add veggies, drizzle with oil and season.
• Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk olive oil, lemon, garlic and most spices.
• Bring chicken broth and turmeric to a boil.
• Pour hot chicken broth over couscous and raisins in bowl and toss
• Cover and rest 5 minutes.
• Add roasted vegetables, chick peas, almonds, cilantro, mint and lemon mixture and toss.

HOW TO MAKE MOROCCAN COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED VEG

Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over a large oven dish or pan and add the diced pepper, onion, carrot, courgette, and drained chickpeas (1). Sprinkle with salt, toss well, and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the veg is tender and starting to colour slightly.

Once the veg is tender, remove from the oven and set aside (2).

In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper (3). If you have a large lemon with a lot of zest, start with around half then add more zest to taste later on.

Using a pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the pan over low-medium heat and add the dried couscous to the dry pan (4). Toast for 2-3 minutes, then add the cumin seeds along with a small drizzle of oil. Toast for another 2 minutes or until the couscous is golden brown, moving regularly to avoid burning.

Once the couscous and cumin seeds are toasted, remove the pan from the heat. Mix in the ground cinnamon, ground turmeric, and raisins, then pour over the boiling water or vegan stock.

Cover with a lid and leave to steam for around 5 minutes or until the couscous is soft. Once soft, fluff up the couscous lightly using a fork (5).

In a large bowl, combine the couscous with the roasted veg and chickpeas. Roughly chop the fresh coriander, then add this to the bowl along with the lemon dressing (6). Mix everything well, adjust the seasoning to taste, and serve.