I’ve always loved Moroccan food, but lately I’ve had a renewed obsession with it. The foods of the Maghreb are delightfully complex and bursting with flavor. Most dishes are slowly simmered, spice-laden, and aromatic. Sweet, salty, savory, and spicy all blend together seamlessly. Couscous is often the starch of choice in a North African meal. Here, I’ve developed a vegetarian couscous entree that is savory and slightly sweet with a hint of spice. Dried fruits, cinnamon, and harissa simmer together with vegetables and savory chickpeas. It’s a feast for the senses, no meat required.
What Is Couscous?
My Grandma Lois first introduced me to couscous after she traveled to Morocco in the mid-1980’s. These tiny balls of semolina wheat are the Maghreb’s answer to a starchy grain accompaniment. Couscous is most often served with stews or tagines (more on that below). I was delighted by the texture, so delicate and light, soaking up whatever sauce my grandma conjured. Through the years I’ve enjoyed it as an accompaniment to chicken, lemon olive chicken, and sweet lamb stew. My grandma was mostly vegetarian later in life, so I think she would have enjoyed this dish quite a bit.
Tagine vs. Stew
When I set about developing this recipe, I envisioned a Moroccan-style vegan entree that can be served for any occasion. A tagine seemed like the perfect way to go. The North African word tagine refers to a cone-like earthenware pot, as well as the slowly simmered Berber-inspired stews that are cooked inside it. I love the tagine as a cooking vessel, but few people have one in their kitchen. It made more sense to cook this Moroccan-spiced tagine in a heavy pot, rather than a tagine, so that more folks can enjoy it.
Whether this cooking method qualifies the dish as a tagine or a stew is a matter of semantics. I serve it over couscous, so I call it Moroccan-Style Vegetable Couscous. This two-pot meal is easy to make, healthy and satisfying. It’s got layers and layers of flavor, and could be served as a meatless entree or side dish.
Special Ingredients, Substitutions
Harissa is a spicy North African chili paste originating in Tunisia. It can be found at most Middle Eastern and markets. The spice adds a wonderful depth to this sweet and savory dish. Feel free to substitute sambal oelek from the Asian food section if you can’t track down harissa, they have similar flavor profiles. If you’re gluten free, quinoa makes a great sub for the couscous. Enjoy!
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Moroccan-Style Vegetable Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon harissa (or substitute sambal oelek)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (orange yams) peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound zucchini (about 4 medium zucchini) cut into 1/2 inch rounds
- 12 ounces carrots (about 4 medium carrots) peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 3 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/3 cup dried apricots
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas (or substitute 1 can chickpeas, drained)
- 10 ounces couscous (1 1/2 cups dry - for gluten free substitute quinoa)
NOTES
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium. Saute the onion for several minutes till softened. Add the garlic and saute for another minute till fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste, harissa, cinnamon, ginger and 1/2 cup of the low sodium vegetable broth till smooth. Bring to a boil.
- Add sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, shredded cabbage, dried apricots, golden raisins and cilantro to the pot. Stir till combined.
- Add remaining 2 cups of vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper).Reduce heat and cover the pot. Simmer the mixture for 50-60 minutes, stirring gently 2 times during cooking, till all the vegetables are fully tender. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Remove from heat.Add chickpeas to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes more till they're heated through.
- Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions.Pour cooked couscous onto a large platter. Top with the cooked vegetable stew. Serve.
blin says
It looks excellent!
Nora says
Just made this dish tonight for the first time for a couple of friends. They enjoyed it! It is perfect for the season!
Tori Avey says
So happy to hear that Nora!
Jo says
Flavours were beautiful. Don’t know if this is Moroccan, but I added some Halloumi cheese with the Chickpeas. Very nice!
Tori Avey says
Lovely addition Jo! I’m a fan of Halloumi in pretty much everything. 🙂
Momo says
This dish got me laid like it’s nobody’s business. Jokes to the side, this is some of the best vegetarian-tajin-things I’ve ever had and probably the best thing I’ve ever cooked for myself.
Tori Avey says
Ha! Awesome.
Amy Touassi says
You wouldn’t cook a cous cous in a tagine anyway, it’s usually made in a large double boiler so the couscous steams on top while the veggies cook below. The couscous is sometimes presented in a large tagine once it is done cooking, but it would be impossible to make this soupy dish in one.
Tori Avey says
Hi Amy! Actually I have made several vegetable “stews” in my tagine with excellent results. You have to modify with less liquid, as the tagine steams things and surrounds them with moisture. Of course you wouldn’t cook the couscous in the tagine, as you say it would be cooked separately. Steaming them as you suggest is certainly an option, but I wouldn’t dissuade somebody from using a tagine for a vegetable entree… the recipe would just need to be modified a bit.
Brenda says
Tori – I made this dish today and it was really good. My hubby, who is Moroccan, enjoyed it too.
Tori Avey says
Great Brenda! So happy you both liked it.
liron says
I love your recipes. This looks excellent but I really wanted to do the actual couscous, old school. Can you write an explanation of the process of making couscous from semolina (סולת)?
Tori Avey says
I will keep that in mind for a future post. 🙂
Clara says
Dear Tori, This Thanksgivukkah, I’ve tried this recipe, and I got stellar reviews, absolutely delicious, a delicacy,and very easy to make,thanks a bunch!! keep up the good work 😉
Mashugana says
I have seen harissa in the store and guess will purchase some, looks to yummy to pass up!
Tori- Is that fresh or powdered ginger?
Leftovers could probably made into patties, fry and Morrocan Latkas ……. yum, yum and yum-o!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Chanukah!
Happy just because!
Tori Avey says
Hi Mashugana, I used powdered ginger in the recipe. 🙂
Kent says
This receipe looks and sounds delicious. I happen to have a tagine. How would you prepare this dish using same?
Tori Avey says
Hi Kent– I haven’t actually tested this particular recipe in a tagine, but here is my best guess based on what I know about tagine cooking. Prepare the sauce, then pour it into the tagine. Put the vegetables in (minus the chickpeas), then put the lid on and cook it at 350 degrees F for about an hour. When the vegetables are tender, add chickpeas and let the stew continue cooking for about 5 more minutes till heated through.
Daniel Wright says
My husband made this tonight and it is definitely a winner. This will be made frequently in our household.
Tori Avey says
Happy you both enjoyed it Daniel 🙂
Rebecca says
I wonder is this “veggie curry “served with Couscous sold in the Arab shops !! My daughter loves it and we often order it when we eat in the Arab shop with Couscous !! Thanks for sharing.
Anna says
I realize this is a vegetarian dish, but If we were to add meat to this dish, is there a meat and/or prepared meat that would go best with this dish?
Tori Avey says
Hi Anna, you could try adding some chicken thighs bone-in.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
This truly looks perfect! Yum!
prinderella says
What beautiful looking side dishes. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks Tori
Dalia Kaplan says
goes vey well with Matbucha on a side
Susan B says
Looks delicious. Is sharissa easily found? Are there any substitutions?
Tori Avey says
Hi Susan, if you read the intro to the recipe I answer your question there. A substitution is noted in both the intro and the recipe ingredient list. 🙂
Coco Galvez says
My dinner tonight, tnx Tori
Avner Hazan says
I had couscous all my life, this’s a work of art!
Brenda Zirlin says
Yummy!!!