Couscous

The fastest side dish in your rotation. Boil water with raisins and salt, stir in couscous and butter, put the lid on, and walk away. Five minutes later, fluff with a fork and it’s done.

The raisins plump up in the boiling water and release their sweetness into the couscous as it steams. Each forkful gets little bursts of fruit mixed in with the fluffy, buttery grains. It’s a side that pairs with everything from grilled chicken to roasted lamb to a simple vegetable stew.

Couscous isn’t actually a grain. It’s tiny pasta made from semolina, which is why it cooks so fast compared to rice or quinoa.

Pro Tips

• Don’t peek or stir during the 5-minute rest. The lid traps steam, and that steam is what cooks the couscous. Lifting the lid lets it escape.
• Fluff with a fork, never a spoon. Stirring compresses the couscous into a sticky lump. A fork separates the grains gently.
• Use broth instead of water for more flavor if you’re serving this alongside something mild.

Variations

• Toast the dry couscous in the butter for a minute before adding the boiling water. This adds a nutty depth that plain steamed couscous doesn’t have.
• Stir in chopped fresh mint, toasted almonds, and a squeeze of lemon after fluffing for a North African-style side.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon and a handful of dried apricots instead of raisins for a sweeter, Moroccan-leaning version.