Moroccan CooksRecipes from Morocco
Couscous

Traditional Moroccan Couscous with Seven Vegetables

By The Moroccan Cooks KitchenUpdated

Semolina steamed three times over a saffron broth and served under a mound of carrots, turnips, pumpkin, courgette and chickpeas.

Platter of Moroccan couscous topped with carrots, turnips, pumpkin, courgette and chickpeas
Prep
40 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 40 min
Serves
8
Difficulty
Medium

Friday couscous is the closest thing Morocco has to a national ritual. The grain is steamed — never boiled — over the broth it will be served with, so it absorbs the flavour in stages while staying light.

Seven vegetables is the traditional count for a couscous served to guests, though the number matters less than the layering. Root vegetables go into the broth first, soft ones later, and everything is arranged in a dome on top of the grain at the table.

It takes an afternoon, most of it unattended. The one part you cannot rush is the three steamings, and it is exactly that part that separates couscous from every packet version you have eaten.

Ingredients

Servings

Makes 8 servings

For the broth

For the vegetables

For the couscous

Instructions

  1. Start the broth

    Put the meat, onions, oil, spices, saffron, grated tomato, herb bundle and salt in the base of a couscoussier. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, turning the meat, then pour in the water and bring to a simmer.

  2. First steaming

    Tip the couscous into a wide bowl. Sprinkle over 250 ml of water and 2 tablespoons of oil, then rake it through with your fingers until every grain is damp and separate. Pile it into the steamer basket without pressing it down, set it over the simmering broth and steam uncovered for 20 minutes from the moment steam rises through the grain.

  3. Rake and rest

    Turn the couscous back into the bowl. Break up the lumps with a wooden spoon, then sprinkle over another 250 ml of water mixed with the salt. Rake through again and leave to swell for 10 minutes.

  4. Add the hard vegetables

    While the grain rests, add the carrots, turnips and cabbage to the broth. Return the couscous to the steamer for a second 20 minute steaming.

  5. Add the soft vegetables

    Rake the couscous out a second time, sprinkle with the last of the water and the remaining oil, and leave it to rest. Add the pumpkin, courgette, tomatoes and chickpeas to the broth — they need only 20 to 25 minutes.

  6. Third steaming

    Steam the couscous a final 15 to 20 minutes. It should be fluffy, entirely separate and no longer taste raw. Turn it into a warm bowl, dot with butter and fork it through.

  7. Assemble and serve

    Mound the couscous on a wide platter and hollow the centre slightly. Lift out the meat and set it in the hollow, arrange the vegetables over it in stripes, and scatter the chickpeas across the top. Moisten the whole platter with two ladles of broth and serve the rest in a jug alongside.

Cook’s notes

  • No couscoussier? Set a metal colander over a stockpot and seal the join with a strip of dampened cloth or foil so the steam has only one way out.
  • Do not add salt directly to dry couscous — dissolve it in the water first, or you will get salty patches.
  • Leftover couscous is excellent the next day steamed again for 10 minutes; microwaving turns it to paste.

Recipe information

Prep time
40 min
Cook time
2 hr
Total time
2 hr 40 min
Servings
8
Calories
540 kcal per serving
Cuisine
Moroccan
Course
Main Dish
Difficulty
Medium
Keywords
moroccan couscous, seven vegetable couscous, couscous recipe, traditional couscous

Nutrition is an estimate per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.

couscousseven vegetablesfriday couscouscelebrationsteamed

Frequently asked questions

Can I use instant couscous?
You can, and it will be dinner. It will not be Moroccan couscous — instant grain is pre-steamed and rehydrates to a softer, heavier texture. If you use it, skip straight to assembling and serve the broth generously.
Which seven vegetables should I use?
Carrot, turnip, pumpkin, courgette, cabbage, tomato and chickpeas is the most common set. Swap in sweet potato, fennel or broad beans according to the season — the number is traditional, the list is not fixed.
Can I make couscous vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the meat, double the chickpeas and add a piece of preserved lemon rind to the broth for depth. Increase the olive oil slightly to make up for the missing fat.
How far ahead can I make it?
The broth and vegetables can be made a day ahead and reheated. Steam the grain fresh on the day; it takes about an hour of mostly unattended time.

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