Instant Pot Moroccan Couscous is packed with veggies, chickpeas & raisins. It's get's done under 20 mins & freezes well. Your whole family will love this vegetable couscous Moroccan recipe.
Instant Pot Couscous
This Moroccan vegetable couscous recipe is perfect for busy weeknight dinners, potlucks, gatherings, picnics, meal preps & lunch boxes.
It has a perfect balance of spices. You'll love the subtle sweetness from the raisins & the crunch from the vegetables. So so good!
What is Couscous?
Couscous is small granules of crushed durum wheat that is steamed and served as a fluffy, starchy accompaniment to soups, stews, braises, Moroccan curries and so much more. It’s is native to North African countries, like Morocco, Lybia, Tunisia, and Algeria and it's one of their staple food. This pasta-like grain can now be found in many countries, and most major grocery stores in the U.S.
Ingredients
Find the Ingredients with actual measurements at the bottom of the post. The list below is just a reference.
- Moroccan Couscous: This is the smallest variety of couscous and cooks faster than the rest. It's also known as instant couscous as it cooks almost instantly when mixed with boiling water and allowed to stand for sometime.
- Onion: Use yellow onion for best flavor. The mild flavor of yellow onion goes very well with Moroccan couscous.
- Veggies: Red Bell pepper, zucchini.
- Chickpeas: Use either cooked chickpeas or use canned chickpeas rinsed and drained well.
- Spices: Paprika, cumin, coriander. Sweet paprika is what we love in this recipe. You can also use about ¼ teaspoon turmeric. I did not add any turmeric in todays recipe.
- Raisins: We love golden raisins. You can also use other varieties.
- Garnish: Green onions also known as scallions. Use the chopped green part for a fresh bright flavor.
- Olive Oil: Use extra light or light olive oil.
- Liquid: Water. You can also sub the water with Instant Pot vegetable stock. It'll certainly elevate flavors of this summer vegetable couscous recipe.
Tips for Success
- Fluffy Couscous: For perfectly fluffy couscous do fluff the cooked couscous with the help of a pair of forks once the pressure cooking cycle is over. Allow the cooked couscous to rest for few mins. This will allow the couscous to absorb the moisture fully and fluff up even more.
- Spicy Moroccan couscous: Todays recipe is not spicy. If you prefer spicy instant pot couscous do add about ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes along with the other spices.
How to make Instant Pot Couscous?
Find the detailed step by step recipe along with measurements + Video at the bottom of the post.
Step #1 Sauté Veggies
- Sauté veggies: Add oil in instant pot, when the oil becomes hot dump the onion & veggies and sauté for 2 mins in Sauté mode set at NORMAL heat. Add the seasonings & salt according to your personal taste preference and sauté well until the onions begins to turn soft.
Step #2 Deglaze pot well
- Add chickpeas: Now, add the cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas rinsed and drained well. Give everything a good mix. CANCEL the SAUTE mode,
- Deglaze pot: Pour veggie stock and deglaze the pot very well by scraping the sides and the bottom of the pot with the help of your spatula. This will help loosen any stuck food particles and prevent the BURN error. DO NOT rush this step.
Step #3 Pressure cook couscous & fluff well
- Layer Couscous: Drizzle the couscous on top of the veggie stock in a single layer. DO NOT stir or mix.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid, seal the valve. Pressure cook on HIGH for 0 minute (ZERO minute) followed by a quick pressure release.
- Fluff & garnish: Open the lid and give everything in the pot a good stir to mix things up. This will also help to fluff the cooked couscous. Add chopped green onions and raisins and mix well. Allow the couscous to rest in the pot for 10 mins before serving. This will help to make the couscous even more fluffy. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This Instant pot couscous is a complete meal all by itself. You can enjoy it as such or serve it along side a soup like this instant pot potato celery soup, instant pot vegan mushroom soup.
How to store
Fridge: You can store the instant pot Moroccan couscous for up to 5 days in the fridge. Use air tight containers for best results.
Freezer: You can freeze it in individual portion size freezer safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. Follow the reheating directions shared below.
How to reheat
Reheat the vegetable Moroccan couscous in the microwave oven until warm or cold. Thaw the frozen couscous over night in the fridge and than follow the same reheating direction.
FAQs
Vegetable couscous is made of Moroccan couscous and a variety of vegetables of your choice. It's seasoned with paprika, cumin, coriander & turmeric (optional).
No couscous is not a vegetable. It's small granules of crushed durum wheat.
For Moroccan couscous without vegetables the liquid to couscous ratio is 1:1. If you make it with vegetables you'll need slightly more water.
Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middling of durum wheat. Couscous is a form of pasta made from a dry mixture of semolina and water that’s rolled in very tiny irregular pieces. It's a North African staple.
Fluffing the couscous with a pair of fork will prevent it from clumping.
If the liquid content is more than required in the recipe than the couscous won't become fluffy. It'll form lumps. You have to also fluff the cooked couscous with a pair of forks to get an extra fluffy dish.
I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! If you try this Instant pot Moroccan couscous recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I would love to hear how it turned out for you, or any changes you make.
Instant Pot Moroccan Couscous
Equipment
- 6 quart instant pot
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous - **use Moroccan couscous, aslo known as instant couscous.
- 1 cup onion - **roughly chopped red onion. You can use yellow onion as well.
- 1 cup red bell pepper - **roughly chopped into small squares.
- 1 cup zucchini - **roughly chopped into small cubes.
- 1 cup chickpeas - **drained & rinsed from the can or you can use pressure cooked chickpeas as well.
- ½ cup raisins - **I used golden raisins.
- ½ cup green onion - **roughly chopped. Use only the green part.
- 1.5 cups vegetable stock
- salt to taste - **add according to your own personal taste preference.
- 2 tablespoon olive oil - **use extra light or light olive oil.
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon paprika - **sweet paprika.
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
Saute veggies
- Set the instant pot on SAUTE mode at NORMAL heat setting. You can change the heat setting by pressing the SAUTE button more than once. Add oil, when the oil becomes hot gently add the onion, bell pepper & the zucchini. Saute for 2 mins. Now, add salt according to your own personal taaste prefernce and also add the seasonings (paprika, cumin, coriander). Saute very well or until the onion begins to become soft.
Deglaze pot
- Add the cooked chickpeas, stir to mix well. CANCEL the SAUTE mode and pour the veggie stock. Deglaze pot very well by scraping the sides and the bottom of the pot with the help of a spatula. This will help loosen any stuck food particles and help prevent the BURN error. DO NOT rush this step!
Pressure Cook
- Now, drizzle the couscous on top of the stock in a single layer. DO NOT stir or mix. PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for just 0 minute (zero minute). Once the pressure cooking cycle is over the instant pot will begin to beep. Immediately perform a quick pressure release, open the lid once the metal floating pin on top of the lid drops. Turn off the instant pot.
Fluff, garnish, serve
- Give everyhting in the pot a good stir to mix everyhting uniformly. This will also help to fluff the couscous. You can do this with a ladle, spatula or a pair of forks. Now, add the raisins and the chopped green onion. Stir to mix well. Allow the cooked couscous to rest in the pot for 10 mins. This will make the couscous extra fluffly. Serve and enjoy! Scroll up to find Tips & detailed Step by step photos.
Notes
- Fluffy Couscous: For perfectly fluffy couscous do fluff the cooked couscous with the help of a pair of forks once the pressure cooking cycle is over. Allow the cooked couscous to rest for few mins. This will allow the couscous to absorb the moisture fully and fluff up even more.
- Spicy Moroccan couscous: Todays recipe is not spicy. If you prefer spicy instant pot couscous do add about ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes along with the other spices.
Mark says
Thanks for this amazing recipe, it turned out so yummy, everyone in my family loved it and even wanted more 🙂
mtr_admin says
So glad your family enjoyed this recipe Mark 🙂 Thanks much for the wonderful feedback, appreciate it and a lot 🙂 - Meghna xoxo
Raina says
This recipe worked out so great. My whole family enjoyed their meals. Thanks so much!
mtr_admin says
Thanks Raina for the amazing feedback. Appreciate it 🙂