Honestly, it’s quick and simple!
I don’t know about you but I get bored with the same carbs – potato, pasta or rice. Don’t get me wrong, they are great and you can get quite creative with them. You’re only limited by your creativity. However, sometimes you just need something a little different. That’s where couscous comes in. Introducing you to this really quick and easy cranberry couscous I’m sure you’ll love.
So what exactly is couscous – is it a pasta or grain? Couscous is made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour. Though we think of it as a grain, it’s actually a type of pasta. Originating from North Africa, you can serve it instead of rice with stews or meals with lots of sauce. It’s one of the easiest, fastest, most versatile side dishes you can ever make. While you can substitute rice for couscous, it also makes the perfect salad. You can serve the salad warm or cold – the choice is yours.
The fact that it’s quick and easy to make comes in handy when entertaining friends and family for a BBQ, adding couscous instead of potatoes or pasta makes the meal a little fancier. No one ever puts their hand up that they want to be chained to the kitchen when others are over for a meal. I’ve been too many times to know it’s really not fun! Adding couscous into the meal means you’ll save time to focus on what matters most. It has for me. That’s is why I keep this cranberry couscous salad up my sleeve.
How to make the perfect couscous
You can make couscous with just two ingredients – couscous and boiling water or stock. When making it, you just have to remember this one important rule. It’s to do with the ratio between the two ingredients. Too much liquid and you’ll have a sloshy mess. Too little and your couscous will be a little undercooked. The ratio to remember is 1:1…. that is, 1 cup of liquid to 1 cup of couscous.
There is a caveat to this rule. That is, each manufacturer may have a slightly different ratio required. Also, wholemeal couscous may also require a little more liquid. That’s why it pays to always check the instructions on the packaging first.
Want another delicious recipe?
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love others available here. From pastas to risottos, cookies to desserts, and bliss balls to gluten-free options with everything in between. There is truly something here for everyone. I have developed this website to provide family-friendly recipes where I maximise both fresh produce while minimising cost.
Cranberry Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup liquid vegetable stock
- 1 lebanese cucumber, finely diced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot, add the liquid vegetable stock and bring to boil. Take off the heat and add couscous. Stir with a fork until liquid is mostly absorbed. Cover with a pot lid and stand for 3 minutes.
- Fluff up the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Cover and stand for an additional 2 minutes. Fluff up couscous again. Set aside to cool.
- Add all remaining ingredients into the couscous. Toss to combine.
- While you can serve it as a warm salad, you can chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes if you prefer it cool.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can substitute to vegetable stock for chicken stock.
- This salad is flexible so get creative and try incorporating these wonderful ingredients - freshly chopped mint, crushed pistachio nuts, pine nuts, diced red or yellow capsicum, diced baby tomatoes.