Seven-Vegetable Couscous
Steamed couscous with a saffron-spiced vegetable stew.
Ingredients
- 300 g Couscous
- 2 Carrot
- 2 Zucchini
- 1 tin Chickpeas
- 2 Tomato
- 1 Onion
- 1 tbsp Ras el hanout
- 1 tbsp Harissa
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 800 ml Vegetable stock
- 1 tsp Salt
Method
- Chop the onion.
- Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and soften 4 minutes, then stir in the ras el hanout and cook about a minute until fragrant.
- While the onion softens, chop the carrot.
- While the onion softens, chop the zucchini.
- While the onion softens, chop the tomato.
- While the onion softens, drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Add the carrot, zucchini, tomato, chickpeas, stock, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover loosely and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 18 minutes.
- While the stew simmers, tip the couscous into a bowl, pour over enough boiling water to just cover, lid the bowl, leave 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and a drizzle of oil.
- Pile the couscous, ladle over the stew, and serve the harissa alongside.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Seven-Vegetable Couscous
Seven-vegetable couscous (or couscous with seven vegetables) is a traditional North African dish built on the idea that abundance and variety are a form of generosity. Here, the seven vegetables (or near seven—carrot, zucchini, tomato, chickpeas, plus onion) simmer together in a spiced broth until completely tender, building a thick vegetable stew that's more substantial than a light broth but less chunky than a solid curry. Ras el hanout provides the flavour foundation—a warm, slightly sweet spice blend that's complex enough to make the simple vegetables taste finished—and the vegetables themselves contribute their own sweetness as they cook down.
The couscous steamed on top (or served separately and piled beneath the stew, depending on your mood) catches the moisture and spice of the broth, soaking up flavour and becoming the vehicle for eating the vegetables. This is a naturally vegan dish built from pantry ingredients and whatever fresh vegetables are available, and it's hearty enough to satisfy without feeling like deprivation. At forty-five minutes, it's a leisurely weeknight supper that tastes like a celebration despite its everyday ingredients.
Seven-Vegetable Couscous: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Seven-Vegetable Couscous?
A serving has about 587 calories — 18.3g protein, 89.9g carbs, 17.6g fat, 12g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Seven-Vegetable Couscous 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 Seven-Vegetable Couscous take to make?
About 45 minutes start to finish, but only around 24 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 Seven-Vegetable Couscous make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.