Easy Vegetable Couscous

This is the side dish that takes longer to read about than to make. Couscous absorbs boiling water in five minutes off the heat, and tossing chickpeas and thinly sliced zucchini into the same pot means the vegetables warm and slightly soften without overcooking, holding their bite against the soft pasta.

Butter is doing the flavor work here. Just two tablespoons melt into the hot water and coat each grain as it absorbs the liquid, giving the couscous a richness that boxed couscous mixes try to fake with seasoning packets.

Slice the zucchini paper thin so it cooks through in the residual heat. Thicker rounds stay raw and undercooked at the center.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas thoroughly, the canning liquid mutes flavors with starchy salt.
• Use a fork (not a spoon) to fluff the couscous, a spoon mashes the grains into a sticky clump.
• Replace the water with vegetable or chicken broth for noticeably more flavor with no extra effort.
• Salt the water generously before adding the couscous, undersalted couscous tastes flat no matter what you do later.

Variations

• Stir in chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, or cilantro) at the end for brightness.
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil over the top for a Mediterranean lift.
• Add ¼ cup of golden raisins or chopped dried apricots for a Moroccan-style sweet-savory touch.