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This lemon Israeli couscous will be your new favorite weeknight meal! Serve this with Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon Butter or Creamy Garlic Shrimp for the ultimate dinner.
Whether you enjoy Israeli couscous cold or warm, you’re going to love this recipe. I can’t get enough of this recipe especially if I’m cooking fish. This pairs fantastically with crab-stuffed salmon or shrimp scampi.
However, this lemon Israeli couscous can be served as a full meal or a side dish. You’ll see a variety of pearl Israeli couscous at the grocery store but make sure you purchase the original unflavored kind for this recipe.
This will quickly become one of your favorite side dishes, because how many times can you possibly serve rice and potatoes? Israeli couscous is one of the easiest side dishes you can possibly make.
What is Israeli Couscous?
Israeli couscous is also known as pearl couscous and Jerusalem couscous. It’s a type of toasted pasta shaped like balls that resemble little pearls, it can be served as a warm side dish, main entree, or it can also be added to a cold salad. Super versatile and easy to make.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Israeli Couscous
- Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest
- Garlic
- Peas
- Fresh Parmesan Cheese
- Chicken Stock
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
How to Make Lemon Israeli Couscous:
Although the packaging instructions recommend boiling the water before adding the couscous, I prefer to toast the couscous in olive oil, garlic, and lemon zest before adding the chicken stock. Here’s how I prepared this dish:
- Add some olive oil to a large skillet with high sides and heat over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
- Stir in the couscous and lemon zest and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock, lemon juice, season with salt, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Once the couscous is fully cooked through, add the peas and parmesan cheese.
- Check for seasoning and garnish with fresh parsley and more parmesan cheese, if desired.
Cooks Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Cooking for 2 instead of 4? Cut the recipe in half, use 1/2 cup of Israeli couscous and 1 cup of chicken stock.
- Not a fan of lemon? Add extra parmesan cheese for flavor and omit the lemon.
- Don’t have fresh peas? Use frozen peas.
- If you don’t have fresh parsley, dried parsley works fine.
- If you want to add some white wine, reduce the chicken stock amount. Use 1/2 cup of white wine and 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock. Add the white wine after toasting the couscous for 2 minutes and then let the white wine reduce by half before adding the chicken stock.
What to Serve With Israeli Couscous?
If you decide to serve this as a main entree, some cheese garlic biscuits would be a great companion. However, if you decide to serve this a side dish, I highly recommend serving this with some creamy smothered chicken thighs, shrimp, or fish.
More Side Dishes You’ll Love:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Loaded Mac and Cheese
- Creamed Mushrooms
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Creamy Parmesan Risotto
Lemon Israeli Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 cup Israeli couscous
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup green peas
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add some olive oil to a large skillet with high sides and heat over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
- Stir in the couscous and lemon zest and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock, lemon juice, season with salt, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Once the couscous is fully cooked through, add the peas and parmesan cheese.
- Check for seasoning and garnish with fresh parsley and more parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Cooking for 2 instead of 4? Cut the recipe in half, use 1/2 cup of Israeli couscous and 1 cup of chicken stock.
- Not a fan of lemon? Add extra parmesan cheese for flavor and omit the lemon.
- Don’t have fresh peas? Use frozen peas.
- If you don’t have fresh parsley, dried parsley works fine.
- If you want to add some white wine, reduce the chicken stock amount. Use 1/2 cup of white wine and 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock. Add the white wine after toasting the couscous for 2 minutes and then let the white wine reduce by half before adding the chicken stock.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
