Lemon Pearl Couscous is the perfect flavorful and simple recipe. Pearled couscous is toasted and combined with lemon juice and fresh herbs for a delicious side dish.
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🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Quick and easy recipe. The couscous is done in under 20 minutes making it a great side dish for busy nights. Serve it with my panko cod recipe.
- Simple ingredients. This recipe uses minimal ingredients, most of which you can probably find at home in your pantry and fridge.
- Flavorful. There is so much flavor in this side dish and it will level up your meals.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
- Couscous. You need pearled or Israeli couscous. Any brand will work.
- Lemon juice. The recipe calls for juice from ½ of a medium-sized lemon. This adds a beautiful freshness to the dish.
- Herbs. Any freshly chopped herbs such as parsley, basil, dill or oregano will work.
See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.
📖Variations
- Add in some cheese. Feta cheese, goat cheese or Parmesan cheese are all good options and will add additional flavor.
- Sneak in veggies. You can mix in some chopped vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, red onion or tomatoes.
- Greens. Throw in some chopped spinach, arugula or kale to make this a healthier side.
🔪Instructions
Step 1: Toast the couscous in olive oil until it is slightly browned and has a toasty smell. Next, pour the water into the pot, cover and simmer until it is cooked through.
Step 2: Turn off the heat and season the couscous with olive oil, lemon juice, spices and herbs.
💭Recipe FAQs
There are different types of couscous. Traditional couscous is made from semolina flour and is a much smaller grain that cooks quickly.
Pearl or Israeli couscous is made from both wheat and semolina flour and is shaped like pearls (hence the name). It takes longer to cook than the traditional, about 10-15 minutes.
Quinoa is a grain and is naturally gluten-free. It is full of all of the essential amino acids and is considered a complete protein.
Couscous is made from flour and is not gluten-free. It is low in protein but also lower in fat and calories than quinoa.
I typically follow the directions on the package I am using as it can sometimes vary.
However, I recommend 1.5x the amount of liquid to couscous. For example, if I am cooking 1 cup of couscous, I will use 1.5 cups of water or broth.
Yes, cook the couscous according to the directions in the recipe card, let it cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve it, fluff the couscous with a fork, then add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
👩🏻🍳Chef Tips
- I highly recommend toasting the pearled couscous in olive oil before adding water. This will add additional flavor to the dish and also a beautiful contrast in colors.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for about 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. You can also use leftovers to make Couscous and Chickpea Stuffed Peppers or add it to a Couscous and Meatball Soup.
- Cook the couscous in chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water for even more flavor.
- Don't overcook the couscous or it could become mushy.
🥗Serving
This recipe will pair well with so many main courses including my Easy Greek Turkey Meatballs, Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Thighs and Baked Halibut. Check out more ideas:
More Side Dishes to Try
- Butternut Squash and Cranberry Quinoa Salad40 Minutes
- Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Salad30 Minutes
- Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes45 Minutes
- Roasted Garlic Air Fryer Carrots25 Minutes
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating & comment below to let me know how it came out. Thanks for visiting!
🍳Recipe
Lemon Pearl Couscous
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 1 ½ cups water, chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ large lemon, juiced
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, etc.), chopped finely
Instructions
- Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the couscous to the pan and toast until slightly browned, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the water or broth. Cover the pan, turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, olive oil, spices and herbs.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- I highly recommend toasting the pearled couscous in olive oil before adding water. This will add additional flavor to the dish and also a beautiful contrast in colors.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for about 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. You can also use leftovers to make Couscous and Chickpea Stuffed Peppers or add it to a Couscous and Meatball Soup.
- Cook the couscous in chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water for even more flavor.
- Don't overcook the couscous or it could become mushy.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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