Couscous Tunisien

Name: Couscous Tunisien
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 500g medium couscous; 600g lamb shoulder, cubed; 200g chickpeas, soaked overnight; 2 carrots, quartered; 2 turnips, quartered; 2 zucchini, halved; 2 potatoes, quartered; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp harissa paste; 1 onion, diced; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp caraway seeds; Salt and pepper

كسكسي (KOOS-ksee)

Tunisian Couscous with Lamb and Vegetables

⏱ Prep Time 2 hours

📈 Difficulty Hard

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 564 kcal

Fluffy steamed couscous crowned with tender lamb, chickpeas, and a medley of seasonal vegetables bathed in a fragrant tomato-harissa broth.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 34.0g

Carbs 62.0g

Fat 20.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten

Equipment Needed

couscoussier or steamer large pot deep serving platter

Presentation Guide

Vessel: large communal platter

Garnishes: fresh parsley, chickpeas

Accompaniments: harissa, broth

Ingredients

500g medium couscous
600g lamb shoulder, cubed
200g chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 carrots, quartered
2 turnips, quartered
2 zucchini, halved
2 potatoes, quartered
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp harissa paste
1 onion, diced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp caraway seeds
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1
Soak chickpeas overnight, drain. Brown lamb in olive oil with onion, add tomato paste, harissa, coriander, and caraway seeds.
2
Cover lamb with water, add chickpeas, bring to a boil, then simmer covered for one hour until lamb is almost tender.
3
Add carrots, turnips, and potatoes to the broth. Cook twenty minutes, then add zucchini for the final ten minutes.
4
Steam couscous in a couscoussier above the broth, fluffing twice with oil and water during thirty minutes of steaming.
5
Mound couscous on a deep platter, arrange lamb and vegetables on top, and ladle broth generously over everything.
6
Serve with extra harissa on the side and a bowl of broth for guests to add more moisture as they wish.

💡

Did You Know?

Tunisian families consider Friday couscous sacred, and missing it is almost as serious as missing a holiday meal.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

couscoussier or steamer
large pot
deep serving platter

Garnishing

fresh parsley, chickpeas

Accompaniments

harissa, broth

The Story Behind Couscous Tunisien

Couscous is the undisputed national dish of Tunisia, a tradition inherited from the ancient Berber civilization. Every Friday, Tunisian families gather around enormous platters of steamed couscous piled high with lamb and vegetables. The dish varies by region and season but the ritual never changes. Tunisian couscous is distinguished from its Moroccan and Algerian cousins by its bold use of harissa and tomato, giving it a characteristic red hue and fiery warmth.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed friday family lunch 📜 Origins: Ancient Berber

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