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This authentic Moroccan couscous is a colorful dish made with perfectly cooked couscous topped with lamb, a variety of stewed veggies and a flavorful broth. My family in Morocco make it every Friday as a way to gather together and pray.

Moroccan couscous in a bowl

This traditional couscous recipe is extremely near and dear to my heart. It’s one my dad was always proud to share with loved ones.

It’s one of the most popular Moroccan recipes that is traditionally made and served every Friday.

Losing my dad last year meant losing so many opportunities to cook together, to learn from him and to meticulously capture all of the genius recipes he shared.

That said, I’ve got my brother Ahmed to thank for helping me recreate this recipe and sharing his tricks with me and you.

It’s not the exact technique my dad used, but the flavor of the broth, perfectly fluffy couscous, and tenderly cooked vegetables bring me right back to my Father’s dinner table.

Featured Review

Just finished dinner, and my goodness! It was AMAZING and DELICIOUS! A huge hit with the family. I have been looking for a Couscous recipe ever since I fell in love with it while traveling to Marrakech. I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it, since I don’t have a couscoussier, but your recipe and instructions were perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Our family will be enjoying it for many years to come🇲🇦❤️💚❤️

Karol
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Step by Step Directions

lamb browning in a pot
Start by browning the lamb on all sides in a large pot with some olive oil. The goal here is to get a solid crust on the outside of the lamb before adding all of the veggies.
vegetables cooking in a pot
Next add the spices and onion and sauté until translucent before tossing in the cubed carrots and root veggies. Cover with a lid to help the veggies soften up.
Once the carrots begin to soften, toss in the zucchini, eggplant, and cabbage.
Moroccan couscous in a pot
Sauté for another couple minutes before adding tomato sauce, water cilantro, and parsley.
Cook over medium heat, slightly covered until all vegetables are cooked through and the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 145.
Add in the garbanzo beans and mix thoroughly, continuing to cook just until they are warm and evenly incorporated.
Moroccan couscous in a pot
While the veggies and meat stew, make your couscous. Start with your water in a pot (or follow the ingredients on your packaging). Bring the water to a boil before adding the couscous, covering, and removing from the heat. Let sit for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork.
Moroccan couscous in a bowl
Serve the couscous first, then top carefully with meat and vegetables, finally pouring the broth over the top.

Traditional Preparation

While this version I’m sharing with you today has all the authentic ingredients and spices, I did make a few adaptations to my dad’s original instructions so that you don’t need to buy any special tools.

In order to prepare Moroccan couscous traditionally, you need a special tool called a couscoussier.

The design of the tool allows you to cook the meat, veggies and broth on the first level while steaming the couscous to perfection on the second level. It really does result in the most fluffy couscous you will ever have.

That said, stovetop couscous comes pretty close in fluffy-ness when done right.

Moroccan couscous in a bowl

How to Eat Couscous Like A Moroccan

Like most Moroccan meals, couscous is traditionally served in a communal large round plate that everyone sits around to enjoy together.

It’s usually accompanied by small bowls full of extra broth to pour over the couscous. Sometimes my aunt would simmer some broth in another pot on the side and add spicy peppers to it, resulting in a super spicy version of the broth for brave guests to try.

I’m not sure if this applies to all Moroccans, but I have vivid memories of my grandma and dad using their hands to combine some of the vegetables with couscous and work it into a large, golf ball sized ball they would then pop into their mouths.

I remember being so impressed as a kid watching this happen, and swearing that the couscous tasted a million times better in golf ball form. I also remember sneaking into my grandma’s kitchen to drink bowls of the broth on it’s own; it was that good!

So many good memories surrounding this dish and family, I hope you love it!

Bismillah,

Salima written in cursive
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Moroccan couscous in a bowl

Authentic Moroccan Couscous (Ahmed’s Version)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 14 reviews
  • Author: Salima Benkhalti
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, entree, main dish
  • Method: boiled
  • Cuisine: Moroccan, North African
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This authentic Moroccan couscous is a colorful dish made with perfectly cooked couscous topped with a variety of fresh veggies stewed in a flavorful broth. My grandmother and aunts in Morocco make it every Friday as a way to gather together and pray. 

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 cups couscous
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb lamb shank or shoulder, cut into chunks
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp ginger
  • 3 threads of saffron, bloomed with an ice cube (see note)
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, cubed
  • 1 small eggplant, chopped into large chunks
  • 2 zucchini, chopped into large chunks
  • 1 cup chopped turnip, parsnip, or daikon, chopped into large chunks
  • 2 tbsp parsley, minced
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, minced
  • 14oz can of tomato sauce
  • 2 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp pepper flakes or jalapeño pepper
  • 1 can garbanzo beans, drained

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot, make your couscous according to directions on the package. Bring the water to a boil in the pot with the olive oil before tossing in the couscous, covering and move off the burner completely. Let it sit covered for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork, covering and setting aside.
  2. In a separate large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and brown the lamb chunks on all sides before tossing in the onion, bloomed saffron, and seasonings. Sauté until translucent before tossing in the cubed carrots and root veggies and cooking for a couple minutes.
  3. Once the carrots begins to soften, toss in the zucchini and eggplant. Sauté for another couple minutes before adding minced herbs, tomato sauce and water. Cook over medium heat, slightly covered until all vegetables are cooked through and lamb reaches an internal temperature of 145 (about 20 minutes).
  4. Add in the garbanzo beans and mix thoroughly, continuing to cook just until they are warm and evenly incorporated. Serve the couscous first, then top carefully with vegetables, finally pouring the broth over the top. Garnish with additional cilantro, parsley, and serve with extra bowls of broth. 

Equipment

Notes

To bloom saffron, simply add threads to a small bowl with an ice cube and let the ice melt completely before using. 

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