Pearl Couscous Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much does 1 cup of pearl couscous make? ›

Pearl couscous: You need 1 cup of uncooked pearl couscous, which will yield about 3 cups when cooked. Water: For a cup of uncooked couscous, you need 1 ½ cups water or other cooking liquid (such as broth).

If you're making traditional wheat or whole-wheat couscous the general rule is to use 1½ cup of water for every 1 cup of couscous (a 1.5 to 1 ratio). For cooking pearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous, you want to reduce the water to 2/3 cup for every 1 cup of couscous.

It was first made in Israel in the 1950s as a substitute for rice, which was in short supply. Pearl couscous is made by mixing together semolina or wheat flour with water. The dough is then put through an extruder to form small, uniform balls.

You want to have around 60g of couscous per person. Only boiling water is needed to cook your couscous, but the important bit is the couscous to water ratio, you should abide by the 1:1 rule. So, for 60g of couscous, you will need 60ml of boiling water.

1 cup of dry couscous will give you about 2 to 2 ½ cups of cooked couscous, which should generously feed 4 people (you should budget ⅓ cup to ½ cup per person).

Couscous can be served as a side dish or a main meal, and goes well with beef, chicken, fish, lamb or as part of a vegetarian meal (with beans, tofu, etc.) You can also stir in additional ingredients (vegetables, nuts, dried fruit) to add something special to your couscous and make it a more substantial dish.

While couscous and white rice have almost the same amount of calories per 100 grams, couscous contains more protein and higher amounts of vitamins and minerals so can be considered a healthier option in those departments. Both grains can support weight loss when incoporated into a balanced, healthy diet.

Storage Tips

Store leftover Israeli couscous salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To Freeze. While I do not recommend freezing this salad as the vegetables will become mushy, you can freeze cooked couscous in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months.

For the perfect couscous water ratio, you'll need 1 1/2 cups of water for every 1 cup of dry couscous. The important trick with couscous is to avoid adding too much liquid, as you'll end up with a soggy lump of just about inedible mush.

Why is my couscous not fluffy? ›

Cooking couscous is as easy as making a cup of tea, but there are a few secrets to getting it perfectly fluffy: Don't add too much liquid – as a guide, it's the same volume of liquid as it is to couscous. Don't leave it for too long to clump.

Add broth and water, bring to a simmer. Then place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low so it is simmering gently. Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm.

Cook and stir couscous in hot oil until toasted and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in water and bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse couscous under cold water in a colander, then transfer to a large serving bowl.

I toss it with herbs, lemon juice, pine nuts, and olive oil to make a bright, refreshing pilaf. It pairs nicely with any protein, vegetable main dish, or soup! Top it with a stew. Traditional Moroccan couscous is often served with stewy seasonal vegetables, and I adore this preparation.

A good rule of thumb is to allocate about 1/2 cup of uncooked couscous per person. This should yield roughly 1 cup of cooked couscous, which is typically a satisfying portion for a side dish.

Cook your Israeli couscous according to package directions. 1 cup dry makes 1½ cups cooked couscous. Make sure to keep any eye on the couscous as it's cooking because it tends to cook up quicker than the package says, at least in my case.