Mushroom Couscous With Spinach (22 Minutes, 1 Pot)
Transform plain couscous into a tasty, fluffy mushroom couscous with a medley of mushrooms, onions, peppers, and fresh spinach. It’s a nice change from rice or potatoes.
Add some beans, chicken, shrimp or tofu and turn it into a full meal.
I think of this couscous with vegetables as two-sides-in-one since it includes both a starch and lots of veggies. Feel free to use different veggies depending on what you have hanging around. And vary the flavors according to your mood. We have several suggestions,
The whole thing comes together in just over 20 minutes.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Couscous: Buy traditional couscous, tri-colored or whole wheat couscous in a package. Couscous is sold in grocery stores near the rice, pasta and grains.
Mushrooms: Use any type or mix you like including shitake, portabella, oyster, or white button. If you’re not a fan of mushrooms you can omit them, and stick to a spinach couscous or vegetable couscous instead.
Other Vegetables: Use what you like or have on hand. I add red bell peppers (for color) and fresh baby spinach leaves (or kale) for color and nutrition. Other good options are zucchini, snap peas, kale and celery.
Broth: Vegetable stock, broth, chicken broth all work. Or add water instead with a bit more seasonings. You can also add a splash of white wine for extra flavor.
Dried herbs: I tend to use thyme. Basil, tarragon, cilantro, or oregano are other good choices. If you have fresh herbs, use them as garnish before serving.
Seasonings: In addition to salt and black pepper, I add curry powder. This is optional. Instead, you can try taco seasoning, Italian seasoning, a Cajun blend or Indian spices. Couscous is a blank slate – anything goes, including some heat with red pepper flakes or chili crisp.
Make a full meal by mixing in cooked sausage, beans, salmon or chicken at the end once the couscous and veggies are cooked.
Step by step instructions
Couscous FAQs
Couscous is neither pasta nor grain. It’s pre-steamed tiny balls of wheat semolina flour and has a quick cooking time. It is often used in place of a grain like rice or quinoa.
Yes, whole wheat couscous (whole grain) can be used interchangeably with regular couscous. It has more fiber, a slightly nutty flavor, and is less processed. It is not gluten-free.
Shortcut
- To save some time, use chopped frozen vegetables. No need to thaw, but sauté until all the water is absorbed and the vegetables are tender.
Make Ahead
- Sauté all the vegetables ahead, leaving the last step (boiling the broth, adding the couscous, then letting it sit for 5 minutes) until just before serving.
- Alternatively, make the entire dish then warm it in the microwave for a minute or two.
What to serve with vegetable couscous
I like serving this vegetable couscous side dish with:
More couscous recipes
- roasted pumpkin salad couscous
- pearl couscous with apricots and vegetables
- Instant Pot pumpkin couscous
- vegetable couscous
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Mushroom Couscous With Spinach (22 Minutes, 1 Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions (1/2 medium onion)
- 2 cups chopped vegetables, diced small, Note 1
- 2 cups roughly chopped fresh baby spinach
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (or water)
- 1 tablespoon butter (or oil)
- 1 cup dry couscous (regular, tri-colored or whole wheat)
seasonings
- 1 teaspoon -2 curry powder optional
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs, Note 2 (e.g. thyme, oregano, basil, tarragon)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or more depends on saltiness of broth
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- zest of one lemon (or 1 tbsp lemon juice)
- Garnish: splash of olive oil, additional chopped herbs e.g. fresh parsley or cilantro, basil, thyme
Instructions
- SAUTÉ VEGGIES AND AROMATICS: Heat oil in medium saucepan to medium-high heat. Add onions and chopped vegetables. Sauté until all water is absorbed, about 8-10 minutes. Mix in spinach and garlic, stirring for 1 minute.
- MAKE COUSCOUS: Add broth, butter, seasonings to saucepan with vegetables. Bring to boil. Stir in couscous and remove saucepan from heat. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Stir in lemon zest or juice. Taste, adjust seasonings. Add garnishes as desired.
Recipe Notes
- Vegetable options: 8 ounces (225g) of fresh mushrooms make 2 cups chopped. Or use other vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, snap peas, celery, etc. Any type or mix of mushrooms will work such as Shitake, Portabello, Oyster, White Button.
- Seasoning/spice/herb options: Try 2-3 teaspoons taco seasoning, Italian seasoning, a Cajun blend or Indian spices. And feel free to add some heat with red pepper flakes or chili crisp.
- Variation: Stir in some cooked sausage, beans, tofu, shrimp or chicken to create a full meal.
- Make Ahead:
- Sauté all the vegetables ahead, leaving the last steps until just before serving.
- Alternatively, make the entire dish then warm it in the microwave for a minute or two.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm them with a splash of water, covered, in the microwave for a minute or two.
Could you sub in with Quinoa instead?
You can’t substitute quinoa with the same cooking method as couscous. Quinoa needs to be cooked on low for 15 minutes and the amount of water would be different. You can, however, cook the quinoa separately and then stir it into the vegetables – that should work fine. I hope that helps Denise.