Description
A flavorful and vibrant one-pot couscous dish packed with chickpeas, colorful vegetables, and aromatic spices. This easy vegetarian recipe is ready in 20 minutes, making it a perfect nutritious meal for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable broth)
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 large bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 15 ounces chickpeas, canned, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 5 Peppadew piquanté peppers, jarred and chopped (or 1/4 cup golden raisins)
- 1 cup Moroccan couscous
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 small lemon, zest and juice
- 2 small avocados, chopped
- Vegan sour cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook veggies: Heat the olive oil in a medium-large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced red onion, bell pepper, and carrot. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds to release its aroma.
- Add spices: Stir in the paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook the spices with the vegetables for 1 minute to bloom their flavors. Next, fold in the chopped Peppadew peppers and rinsed chickpeas, cooking for another minute while stirring to combine everything evenly.
- Reconstitute couscous: Pour in the vegetable broth and bring it to a gentle simmer. Remove the skillet from the heat immediately after simmering begins. Stir in the couscous and chopped parsley thoroughly, ensuring the couscous is fully incorporated and submerged under the broth by flattening the surface with a spoon. Cover and let the mixture stand for about 5 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.
- Season: Once the couscous has absorbed all the broth, grate lemon zest over the dish using a microplane zester. Add lemon juice, and adjust salt and black pepper to taste. Fluff the couscous gently with a fork to combine the flavors evenly and loosen the grains.
- Optional serving: Serve the couscous warm topped with chopped avocado and a dollop of vegan sour cream as desired for extra creaminess and richness.
Notes
- You can substitute Peppadew peppers with golden raisins for a sweet contrast.
- For a nut-free version, ensure the vegetable broth is free from any added nuts.
- To keep it oil-free, use vegetable broth instead of olive oil when cooking veggies.
- This recipe is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and gently reheated.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to your preferred spice level.
