I’m still trying to take full advantage of the fresh summer veggies before they’re gone. This Roasted Vegetable Couscous is the perfect side dish for the transitional season when the markets are still full of fresh beautiful produce, but it’s not so hot that you don’t want to turn on your oven. This simple side dish is easy to prepare, but boasts complex and vibrant flavors.
That being said, if it is still too hot to roast your vegetables in the oven, you can make this dish just as easily by grilling the vegetables outside on your grill. Either way, you’ll get that wonderfully sweet caramelized smoky flavor on the edges of the vegetables that contrast so well with the savory couscous.
Originally posted 8-29-11, updated 9-10-18.
What is Couscous?
Couscous is small granules of crushed durum wheat that is steamed and served as a fluffy, starchy accompaniment to soups, stews, and braises. It’s is native to North African countries, like Morocco, Lybia, Tunisia, and Algeria. This delightful pasta-like grain has spread throughout the world and can now be found in many countries, and most major grocery stores in the U.S.
There are several different types of couscous, including different shapes and sizes, and any can be used for this dish. I used a traditional couscous, which has a very fine grain. Just make sure to check the cooking instructions on your package of couscous to adjust the liquid amount or cooking time needed for the particular variety you’re using.
How do you Cook Couscous?
Cooking Couscous is extremely easy. Simply pour the couscous into boiling water (1 part couscous to 1.5 parts water), place a lid on top, turn the heat off, and let it sit undisturbed for ten minutes. The couscous will quickly absorb the hot water. After ten minutes fluff, then serve! You can flavor couscous by cooking it in flavored liquids, like the vegetable broth I used here. Larger varieties of couscous, like Israeli couscous, or varieties made with whole wheat semolina, may have slightly different cooking instructions.
Can I Use Different Vegetables?
Yes! You can use pretty much any vegetable that you have available to you, but I like to make sure I have at least three colors for maximum visual appeal. Some other vegetables that are wonderful in this mix are: eggplant, yellow squash, mushrooms, or broccoli. If using hard vegetables, like root vegetables, you may need to cut them slightly smaller to make sure they soften.
What to Serve with Roasted Vegetable Couscous
This simple recipe makes a really great side dish to any meat, like Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Thighs, Chicken Piccata, or Oven Baked Fish with Tomatoes. To make this part of a vegetarian meal, serve it alongside Marinated Portobello Mushroom Burgers, a Scallion Herb Chickpea Salad sandwich, or just top a bowl of the roasted vegetable couscous with a big dollop of hummus and serve with a side of pita!
Roasted Vegetable Couscous
Servings 8 about 1 cup eachIngredients
- 4 Roma tomatoes ($1.69)
- 2 zucchini ($1.23)
- 1 bell pepper ($1.00)
- 1 red onion ($0.69)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.24)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 2 pinches salt and pepper ($0.05)
- 2 cups couscous ($1.97)
- 3 cups vegetable broth ($0.39)
- 1/4 bunch parsley ($0.24)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Wash and chop the tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, and red onion into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces. Peel four cloves of garlic but leave them whole.
- Toss the chopped vegetables and garlic with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Spread them out on a baking sheet so they are in a single layer. Sprinkle a couple pinches of salt and pepper over the vegetables
- Place the vegetables in the oven and roast at 400ºF for about 45 minutes, stirring twice throughout, until the vegetables are wilted and browned on the edges.
- While the vegetables are roasting, cook the couscous. Add the vegetable broth to a sauce pot, place a lid on top, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the couscous, turn off the heat, and cover the pot with the lid once again. Let the couscous sit, undisturbed, for ten minutes. Then, fluff with a fork.
- After the vegetables are finished roasting, collect the four garlic cloves, and chop them well. They will be quite soft. Also roughly chop the fresh parsley.
- Combine the couscous, roasted vegetables (including garlic), and parsley in a bowl, and stir to combine. Season with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm or cold!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Roasted Vegetable Couscous – Step By Step Photos
These are the vegetables that I used for my couscous today, but you can be flexible with the vegetables in this dish. Use whatever you have on hand or whatever is available at a good price! Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Chop the vegetables into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces. Peel the garlic, but you can leave it whole so it roasts and becomes nice and sweet. Place the vegetables (and garlic) on a large baking sheet, drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over top, and add a couple pinches of salt and some freshly cracked pepper. Toss until the vegetables are well coated in oil.
Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times throughout, or until they are wilted and browned on the edges. Pick out the whole cloves of garlic and mince them.
While the vegetables are roasting, cook the couscous. This is what couscous looks like uncooked. Very small, irregular granules. You can usually find this in bulk bins, or sometimes near the pasta or boxed pasta and rice pilaf mixes. Just keep in mind that boxed versions are always much more expensive than purchasing in bulk.
Bring 3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth) to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the couscous, replace the lid, and remove it from the heat. Let the couscous sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. The couscous will absorb the hot water as it sits.
Fluff the couscous with a fork once all of the broth has been absorbed.
Chop about 1/4 bunch fresh parsley.
Once the vegetables are roasted, couscous is fluffed, and parsley is chopped, combine them all in a large bowl.
Toss everything together, give it a taste, and add salt if needed (this will depend on the salt content of the broth you used. I did not add any extra salt.)
Talk about a PRETTY side dish! This Roasted Vegetable Couscous is as delicious as it is beautiful. :)
This is delicious! I was dubious about how something so simple would taste, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I will definitely make this again, I think it’ll go great with some spiced chickpeas. Trader Joes has the best price on whole wheat couscous that I’ve found.
The only thing that doesn’t make sense to me is why the recipe has you chop the vegetables twice, before and after roasting. I just cut them once at the beginning (bite-size). Plus, the smaller chop means they cook faster.
When would you add the balsamic vinegar, and how much would you recommend?
It would be good if you just sprinkled a little over top at the end. Then you can toss it together to distribute the vinegar a bit more. Start with a tablespoon and add more as you see fit.
The vegetables were burned! 45 minutes at 400 degrees on a single layer??? Really??? At 18 minutes left the vegetable were charcoal!!! This cook time is ridiculous!!!
Did you use degrees in Celsius???
Great
Lovely recipe :) Now I know what’s for dinner tonight :)
Thanks Beth!
So, I really thought I wouldn’t like this one. The only reason I decided to try it is because my husband absolutely loves couscous. Surprisingly, however, I ended up enjoying this dish a lot. I made it with acorn squash instead of yellow, but otherwise left the recipe exactly as is. Making the couscous with chicken broth really added a pop of extra flavor, and overall this was really good. I was also surprised at how full I was afterwards. Now I can actually enjoy eating couscous with my husband. Thank you!
Delicious just the way the recipe reads. Thanks a bunch!! :)
I made for dinner to serve alongside Greek Chicken, also from here. I used garlic, eggplant, zucchini, red onion, grape tomatoes, and green bell pepper for the veggies. Substituted the couscous for quinoa. Added feta, parsley, and olive oil. So delish.
I have a portion that I didn’t add the feta/parley/EVOO to and will be eating it with a sunny side egg on top.
The hardest part about this recipe was not eating all the delicious veggies off the roasting pan!
Wondering if it might work to toss in some white beans to add some protein?
Yes, I think that would be good! :)
I just made this today with bulgar wheat instead of couscous and it was amazingly delicious, so anyone looking for a healthier alternative to the couscous might want to try it that way instead.
Also, love the site! I’ve been cooking sooo many recipes since I discovered it a few months back and they’re always delicious ^__^
So, I have an anecdote with my review. My flatemate had left a bag of couscous in the kitchen with a note saying saying that anyone who wanted it could have it. I thought, cool, free food, and remembered that there was a tasty-looking couscous recipe on here. I roasted up all my yummy veggies (I used zucchini, eggplant, carrots, red onion, tomato, and garlic; I HATE peppers and I couldn’t find squash), cooked the couscous, and mixed it all up with some feta. It smelled a bit odd but I decided to have a bowl anyway. After eating it and deciding that it also tasted a bit odd, I checked the bag for the couscous. IT HAD EXPIRED IN 2006. WHY DID MY FLATMATE HAVE 8 YEAR OLD PASTA, like was it an heirloom bag of couscous or something??? Anyway, I ended up chucking the whole thing…the veggies were all kind of mushed in so I couldn’t save them :( RIP to all those yummy veggies and half a block of feta.
I ended up going out the next day to re-buy all the ingredients (I wanted my salad, dammit!) and re-made the salad with orzo because I couldn’t find couscous. It was worth it, because it’s so delicious when the pasta isn’t all rancid and 8 years old, and it makes a huge batch, so I’ll have a tasty lunch all week :D
Hahaha, love it! (the funny story, not that you had to toss all that food :P )
FYI pasta doesn’t turn rancid. Fats and oils turn rancid when stale and old. Although properly stored pasta will easily last 1-2 years past the so-called “expiration date”, 8 years is a bit much.
Most likely your pasta was stale or (if ANY moisture accumulated) a bit of mold crept in.
3 cups of veggie broth for 27cents?!
many I ask where you get your veggie broth?
I can’t seem to find it anywhere near that price.
I use Better Than Bouillon brand base to make the broth. It’s an awesome product because you can mix up as much or as little broth as you need and the rest stays good in the refrigerator for months. Plus, is much cheaper than buying regular broth. :)
Hello!
I tried this yesterday and it came out beautifully. I added fetta cheese, drizzled some olive oil and sprinkled little oregano.
Baked veggies work their magic on this dish….
The only thing I regret is of course the fact that couscous is not exactly a healthy food… else I would eat this practically every other day :-) :-)
Love this!!! I crank up the garlic NAND serve sour cream or labneh(middle eastern strained yogurt) with it! Delish!
You can also use the same veggies raw. Love it!!!