Couscous with Merguez
Steamed couscous with spicy merguez and a vegetable broth.
Ingredients
- 300 g Couscous
- 400 g Merguez sausage
- 2 Carrot
- 1 Zucchini
- 1 tin Chickpeas
- 1 tbsp Ras el hanout
- 700 ml Vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp Harissa
- 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
Method
- Chunk the carrots and zucchini into bite-size pieces.
- Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a pot with the carrots, zucchini, chickpeas, ras el hanout, and salt. Simmer gently until the vegetables are tender.
- While the vegetables simmer, brown the merguez in a dry pan over medium-high heat, turning, until crisp outside and cooked through.
- While the merguez cooks, pour just-boiled water over the couscous to cover, cover the bowl, and let it steam 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and the olive oil.
- Pile the couscous into bowls, ladle over the vegetables and broth, top with the merguez, and serve the harissa alongside.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Couscous with Merguez
Couscous with merguez is a modern streamlined version of couscous royale, the North African celebration dish traditionally laden with multiple proteins and vegetables. Here, the framework is clear: fluffy, quick-cooking couscous topped with a gentle vegetable broth seasoned with ras el hanout (a warm, complex spice blend) and studded with chickpeas for substance and fibre. The merguez sausage, browned until crisp-edged, provides the protein and a hit of spice, while the vegetables (carrots and zucchini) soften into the broth without dissolving, keeping their individual flavour intact.
This is restaurant-quality food built in forty minutes from a single pot (plus a skillet for the merguez), meant to be served communally by ladling the broth and vegetables over individual couscous nests. The ras el hanout does most of the work—it's complex enough to make the dish feel finessed without requiring you to layer multiple spices—and the olive oil stirred through the couscous at the end adds silk and ensures the grains stay separate and fluffy. This is a meal that tastes like it took longer than it did.
Couscous with Merguez: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Couscous with Merguez?
A serving has about 805 calories — 33.5g protein, 83g carbs, 37.2g fat, 10.3g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 33.5g of protein, roughly 17% of its calories.
Is Couscous with Merguez gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Couscous. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Couscous with Merguez take to make?
About 40 minutes start to finish, but only around 23 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Couscous with Merguez make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.