Cook up this healthy and filling, vegan Couscous with Spiced Zucchini for your meal this week. One of the best ways to use your summer zucchini along with a few other veggies. It can be served as a meal on its own, or as a side to your barbeques or parties.

A quick and easy meal that comes along in just 10-15 minutes. Spiced with some Hungarian wax peppers, capsicum, spices, and fresh summer tomatoes. Add some protein to this dish like meat or paneer or soya or make it as a healthy grain bowl.
What is Couscous?
Couscous was a new grain to me when I came to Ireland. Yes, I never had back this back in India. I used to enjoy different salads with couscous or a simple couscous along with sauteed veggies. Love those round small, shiny couscous grains.
Couscous is small steamed granules of rolled semolina. Generally served with some stew on top of it or along with some veggies to make it like salad. One of the staple foods of North Africa.
How is Couscous cooked?
Couscous available in shops is rather an Instant version. So technically we are not cooking couscous but rehydrating it. So depending on the variety of couscous one uses, you hydrate it with boiling water for 5-15 mins and you are done. Now there are different sizes. If you are using giant couscous it needs to be cooked similar to pasta.

Adding flavors to couscous
The basic couscous is hydrated with salt, water, and oil. Oil helps in separating the grains and salt adds to the taste. While hydrating, one can add different herbs to flavor or some lemon to give it a zing. The possibilities are endless and one can experiment.
So here I am again with a recipe for Zucchini! And why not? It’s summer and I am having a good harvest. I love when I harvest a veggie and use it immediately or at least in 1-2 days. No miles traveled and garden to table in less than an hour.

Nowadays I am using all fresh from my garden. For the last month, I have not bought any veggies except for onion, garlic, and potatoes. I am loving it. Love gardening and love to grow my own veggies. I grow all of them from seeds. Yes, I lose a lot of them to slugs or my experiments. I am slowly learning. It’s a lot of hard work, but I love every bit of it.
Recipe process of Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Today in this spiced zucchini along with couscous I am using the basic couscous recipe. That is I simply hydrated it with salt, oil, and water. I Sauteed the veggies separately and then mixed them with couscous.
In today’s recipe, I am using my fresh garden’s Hungarian Wax pepper, tomatoes, and green peppers. First, the onion, garlic, ginger, and pepper are sauteed. Then zucchini, tomatoes, and green pepper are added along with some zaatar and paprika powder. They are cooked until they are slightly soft but still have a crunch. Once done the hydrated couscous is mixed along with some parsley, coriander, and lemon to finish off. That’s it. This Couscous with Spiced Zucchini can be served warm or cold.
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Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Ingredients
Couscous prepartion
- ½ Cup – 95 grams Couscous
- ½ Cup + 2 tablespoon Boiling Water
- ½ tablespoon Olive oil Or any vegetable oil
- Salt
Veggies and Spices
- 1 small onion cut lengthwise
- 1 Hungarian wax pepper or any spicy pepper or chili cut lenghtwise Optional, if you do not like it spicy
- 2-3 small size garlic cloves minced or grated
- ½ tablespoon of ginger minced or grated
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil Or any vegetable oil
- 3 cup – 420 grams – Zucchini cut into cubes
- ¼ Cup – 64 grams – Bell Pepper – capsciusm cut into cubes
- 2-3 – 1 cup – 200 grams – chopped Tomatoes
- Salt Go easy on the salt, as couscous will have salt in it
- 1 teaspoon Zaatar spice Optional
- 1 teaspoon Paprika or Red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Lemon/Lime Juice
- 2-3 tablespoon of chopped parsley
- 1-2 tablespoon of chopped coriander Optional
Instructions
Preparing the Couscous
- Prepare the couscous as per your instructions on your packet or follow the steps below.½ Cup – 95 grams Couscous
- In a large bowl add in the couscous.
- Add oil and salt.½ Cup + 2 tablespoon Boiling Water, ½ tablespoon Olive oil, Salt
- Add boiling water.
- Give it a mix.
- Cover and let it sit for 10-15 mins.
- Once done, gently fluff it up with a fork.
Preparing Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
- In a heavy bottom pot add Olive oil.2 tablespoon Olive oil
- Once hot add the onion, garlic, ginger and Hungarian wax pepper or any spicy pepper or chili.1 small onion cut lengthwise, 2-3 small size garlic cloves minced or grated, ½ tablespoon of ginger minced or grated, 1 Hungarian wax pepper or any spicy pepper or chili cut lenghtwise
- Let this cook on medium until the onions are translucent.
- Now add the Bell peppers.¼ Cup – 64 grams – Bell Pepper – capsciusm cut into cubes
- Let them cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and tomatoes and mix.3 cup – 420 grams – Zucchini cut into cubes, 2-3 – 1 cup – 200 grams – chopped Tomatoes
- Add the zaatar spice, paprika powder and salt.1 teaspoon Zaatar spice, 1 teaspoon Paprika or Red chili powder, Salt
- Let this cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
- Now add the chopped parsley and coriander and mix.2-3 tablespoon of chopped parsley, 1-2 tablespoon of chopped coriander
- Cook this until the veggies are slightly soft but not mushy. They should have a bite.
- Now add the cooked couscous and lemon juice.1 tablespoon Lemon/Lime Juice
- Mix it to coat the couscous with all the spices and veggies.
- Switch off and serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Standard US Size cups and spoons are used.
- Any combination of veggies can be used.
- One can use corn, peas, aubergine, etc.
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Azlin Bloor
Friday 19th of August 2022
This is such a spectacular dish, Renu! As a couscous lover, I would eat this everyday. Those spiced vegetables look perfect!
Mayuri Patel
Tuesday 16th of August 2022
Such a lovely way to use zucchini and other veggies for a healthy and filling meal. I too love couscous. One more recipe added to my list.
Wendy Klik
Monday 15th of August 2022
Quick, easy and beautiful!!!