Spiced Couscous Pilaf (Printable)

A fragrant pilaf of couscous cooked in savory broth with dried fruits, toasted nuts, and warming spices.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 1/2 cups couscous
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

→ Dried Fruit & Nuts

03 - 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
04 - 1/3 cup golden raisins or sultanas
05 - 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
06 - 1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped

→ Aromatics & Spices

07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
14 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

→ Fresh Herbs & Garnish

16 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)
18 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
02 - Stir in cumin, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add dried apricots and raisins. Stir to coat in spices.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
05 - Remove from heat, stir in couscous, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid.
06 - Fluff the couscous with a fork. Gently fold in toasted almonds, pistachios, parsley, and mint. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve warm, garnished with extra nuts and lemon wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes flat, which means you can throw together something restaurant-worthy on a Tuesday night without stress.
  • The spices smell absolutely incredible while cooking—your kitchen will smell like you've been planning this all day.
  • It works as a side dish, a light lunch, or even stretched into a main course with some grilled vegetables on the side.
02 -
  • Don't stir the couscous while it's resting—I learned this the hard way and ended up with gummy, broken grains instead of those fluffy individual pearls.
  • Toast your own nuts if you possibly can, because pre-toasted ones often taste stale, and the fresh crunch makes an enormous difference in the final dish.
03 -
  • If you can't find good quality dried apricots, reach for dates instead—they're more forgiving and add a deeper, more luxurious sweetness that works beautifully with the spices.
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet for two to three minutes before adding them to the pilaf, and you'll taste the difference immediately in how alive and crispy they become.
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