Recipes
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French–North African Lemon-Herb Couscous

A bright, fluffy couscous dish flavored with lemon, parsley, mint, and garden vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup couscous (store-bought grain)
  • 1 cup boiling water or broth
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 cucumber or zucchini
  • 1–2 spring onions
  • 1 lemon (zest + juice)
  • Fresh parsley
  • Fresh mint
  • Olive oil
  • Optional: chickpeas, roasted peppers, raisins

Method

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Swaps & variations

  • Quinoa instead of couscous
  • No lemon: use vinegar
  • Add-ins: olives, feta, grilled veg
  • Sweet version: add raisins, cinnamon

Storing & freezing

Refrigerate 3–4 days. Not suitable for freezing (couscous becomes mushy).

Grow it yourself

  • Full sun; water deeply. Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers: need trellising.,Zucchini: requires space and rich soil. Cucumbers / Zucchini
  • Quick crop; grow in containers or beds. Spring Onions
  • Parsley: moist soil.,Mint: invasive—grow in a pot. Parsley & Mint
  • Needs warm climate or container indoors.,Prune annually and fertilize citrus-specific feed. Lemon Tree (optional)
  • Mint repels pests from tomatoes and cucumbers.
  • Neem spray controls whiteflies and beetles.
  • Companion planting: basil enhances tomato flavour.
  • Pick ripe and soft. Tomatoes
  • Harvest firm before seeds enlarge. Cucumbers
  • Pick young (6–8 inches). Zucchini
  • Pull when thick as a pencil. Spring Onions
  • Harvest early morning for best oils. Herbs
  • Pick when fully yellow and aromatic. Lemons

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