This impressive looking Jewelled Couscous is actually super simple to make. Perfect for dinner parties and any time you want to impress! It makes a great partner to tagines or as part of a mezze spread.
Impressive… but super simple jewelled couscous
My favourite recipes are those that look impressive, and taste amazing, but are actually incredibly easy to make! My Easy Peasy Jewelled Couscous definitely fits this bill. It’s so simple to make, but is a real showstopper.
All you need to do is rehydrate the couscous, add lemon juice, olive oil, herbs, pistachio nuts and pomegranate seeds. Then – to get the full showstopper effect – simply tip the couscous out onto a large serving platter and scatter with more herbs, pistachio nuts and pomegranate seeds. Best of all, it takes just 15 minutes to make!
A sneaky pomegranate seed cheat…
Pomegranate seeds can be a real faff to get out of the pomegranate, can’t they. And oh they make such a mess! I’ll let you into a little secret… I cheat! I use the little pots of pomegranate seeds you can get in the ready-prepared fruit section of the supermarket. It makes life so much easier and there’s much less clearing up!
Perfect for a dinner party (or any time!)
Because this Easy Jewelled Couscous recipe looks and tastes so impressive – but is sneakily super easy to make, it’s a great option for a dinner party. You can enjoy the oohs and aahs from your guests without spending hours in the kitchen beforehand!
However, this recipe is so easy to make, you could really make it any time you fancied – even on a busy midweek evening!
What to serve with jewelled couscous?
This simple jewelled couscous is the perfect partner for tagines and other Middle Eastern dishes. It goes especially well with lamb tagines, such as:
Alternatively, this Easy Peasy Jewelled Couscous works well as part of a mezze spread featuring other Middle Eastern dishes, such as:
What to drink with jewelled couscous?
Because jewelled couscous is usually served as a side dish, I recommend choosing a wine match based on the main course – a lamb tagine will work best with a robust red, whereas a chicken tagine is likely to partner better with an aromatic white, for example.
If you are serving this as part of a variety mezze-style spread featuring lots of different Middle Eastern dishes, then good options are a fruity Southern French Rosé, a herbaceous New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or a spicy Rioja Crianza.
Easy Lamb and Aubergine Tagine
Can you reheat jewelled couscous?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. Instead, I recommend you eat any leftovers cold – it makes an awesome packed lunch that will send your colleagues wild with jealousy! Put any leftovers into an airtight container and place in the fridge, where they will keep for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze jewelled couscous?
Technically, yes. But I don’t recommend it. This is not a recipe that fares well in the freezer.
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
Easy Peasy Jewelled Couscous
Ingredients
- 300 g couscous
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 450 ml boiling water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons mint finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoon parsley finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 80 g pomegranate seeds plus extra for garnish (I buy these in a nice little pot from the supermarket - or use the seeds from 1 pomegranate)
- 50 g pistachios plus extra for garnish (I buy these without their shells to save myself a job!)
Instructions
- Put the couscous in a large bowl and add several twists of salt and black pepper. Pour over the boiling water and stir to combine. Cover the couscous with a plate and leave for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes fluff up the couscous and add the lemon juice, olive oil, chopped mint, parsley, pomegranate seeds and pistachio nuts. Stir everything together, then tip out onto a large serving plate or dish.
- Garnish with the remaining chopped herbs, pomegranate seeds and pistachio nuts.
Notes
- Not suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
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