How To Cook Couscous
Oct 30, 2023, Updated Jan 07, 2026
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Learn how to cook couscous at home in only 15 minutes. This easy couscous recipe makes a perfect side for stews such as tagine or a base for Mediterranean couscous salad.
Table of Contents
What Is Couscous?
Couscous is a staple in the North African and Moroccan cuisine that’s generally served as a side dish for hearty stews or added to salads to make them more filling.
When speaking of couscous, a few questions come to mind: what is couscous made of? Is it a grain like bulgur and freekeh? And of course, how to cook couscous that’s fluffy? Well, you’re in the right place. I’m going to answer all these questions here, starting with what this Mediterranean kitchen staple is made of.
While it’s usually mistaken for grain, couscous is actually a kind of pasta made with semolina flour and water. You can usually find two types of couscous in the supermarket: Pearl and fine.
Pearl couscous is larger and can be used for salads or prepared as I did for this Moroccan chicken and couscous. Today we’re working with fine couscous, which is a lot smaller and since it’s already been steamed and dried, making it super easy to prepare.
The Golden Ratio
When it comes to making couscous, the magic ratio is equal parts couscous and water: 1 cup couscous to 1 cup hot water (or broth). This amount ensures the couscous absorbs just enough liquid to become fluffy and tender without turning mushy or dry. It works every time and gives you perfectly cooked couscous with no guesswork. It’s good to know that 1 cup of dry couscous makes about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of cooked couscous which would be enough for 4 people.
How To Make Couscous
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
- To the boiling water, add the salt and olive oil.
- Add in the dry couscous and give it a stir. Cover the pot, turn the heat off and let it sit for 15 minutes until it absorbs the water.
- Fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving plate.
Tips To Make The Best Couscous
Purchase the right couscous: For this recipe, you’re looking for fine couscous and not the pearl version. You can find it in many supermarkets as well as Middle Eastern and Mediterranean shops.
Measure and keep the ratio: The ratio of water to couscous is 1:1, meaning for every one cup of dry couscous, you need one cup of hot water.
Fluff before serving: Using a fork, fluff the couscous once it’s ready, this would separate the pieces and makes the texture better!
Leftovers: Store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon water to avoid the couscous getting too dry.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve couscous with classic Moroccan dishes such as chicken tagine. It also goes well with other dishes such as saffron chicken, braised lamb, eggplant chickpea stew or Mediterranean style shrimp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, since it’s made with semolina made from durum wheat, couscous has gluten.
There is no need to wash couscous prior to cooking.
Keep the water to couscous ratio at 1:1, leave it to absorb all the water and then gently fluff it using a fork.
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How To Cook Couscous
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place the water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Add in the olive oil and salt.
- Add the dry couscous and give it a stir. Cover with a lid and let the couscous sit for 15 minutes, undisturbed.
- Uncover and fluff using a fork. Transfer to a plate and serve.
Video
Notes
- To make this recipe, you need fine couscous and not pearl couscous.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon water to avoid the couscous getting too dry.
- Serve couscous with Moroccan tagine, saffron chicken or eggplant chickpea stew.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My go-to recipe for when I want to cook couscous. It comes out great everytime!
We love cous cous. Thanks for the tips and recipe.