Parmesan Couscous

This recipe is a great complement to a lotof different dishes. I think it pairs best with my Chicken Milanese with Tomato Salad recipe, but it would also complement a variety of otherdishes. This side dish is perfect for busy weeknights. All it takes is boilinga liquid with some salt and fat, adding the pasta, and letting it cook. Thisdish is pretty hard to mess up!

Couscous is actually a type of pasta, not a grain, although it cooks more like rice than pasta as it absorbs the water it cooks in rather than needing to be drained. There are different types of couscous that you can purchase as well. The one that I prefer, and that I’musing in this recipe, is Pearl Couscous or Israeli Couscous. It’sa larger size than Moroccan Couscous, which looks more like the Italian Pastina noodle, if you are familiar with that. Lebanese Couscous is the largest form of the pasta.

If you purchase a container of couscous, the simple directions are on the back of the packaging. However, I kick the flavor up a notch with this recipe by infusing flavor in every step. I cook the couscous in chicken broth – ideally, if I have Homemade Chicken Bone Broth on hand, I like to use that. I add white wine, as well as garlic and parmesan to deepen the flavor without it being too overpowering as a side dish. Thatway, it complements whatever it’s served alongside.

This side dish is easy to keep warm aswell. Once the pasta absorbs the water, I usually keep the lid, turn the heat off, and take it off the burner. It will stay plenty warm like this until it’sready to be served. I highly recommend trying out this low-effort side dishwith your next meal!

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Prep Time 0

Cook Time 10

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 330

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 cup chicken bone broth or regular chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine (SauvignonBlanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay)
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
1 cup pearl couscous
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Bring the chicken broth and white wine to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Add the salt and butter or olive oil. Stir in the couscous.
Cover with a lid, and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the liquid is absorbed, turn the heat off. If you are waiting on other components to your meal to be ready, leave the lid on and set aside. If you are ready to serve, go to the next step.
Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, and parmesan. Put the lid back on for a minute or so to let the garlic cook a little and melt the parmesan. Stir in the parsley & season to taste with salt and pepper.