Moroccan Couscous with Sweet Potato and Chickpeas is a fast and easy pantry meal. Roasted sweet potato and crispy chickpeas are coated in a flavourful Moroccan spice mix, then tossed with couscous and a simple lemon dressing. Serve it as a main or as a side dish! Gluten-free and vegan options.
This Moroccan Couscous is the first of a couple of thoughts for wash room suppers. I regularly cook with a ton of new produce, yet some of the time we need a speedy, solid feast utilizing fixings we have close by. You just need a couple of basic elements for the base of this formula (couscous, yam and chickpeas) and afterward we add a lot of flavors, lemon and garlic for flavor.
Indeed! I locate the simplest method to make this gluten free is to substitute the couscous for quinoa (cook 1 cup dry quinoa as indicated by the producer directions). In case you’re ready to discover sans gluten couscous, make certain to adhere to the cooking directions on the bundle, as the cooking time will probably be not the same as customary couscous.
INGREDIENTS
SPICE MIX
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
FOR ROASTING
- 1 19 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 lb sweet potato, peeled and 1/2-inch dice (about 1 large sweet potato)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
FOR THE COUSCOUS
- 1 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup uncooked couscous (see note 1)
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (or sub 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey (or sub brown sugar or agave syrup for vegan)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 scant tablespoon chopped fresh parsley)
- salt and ground black pepper (to taste )
OPTIONAL GARNISH
- chopped fresh parsley
- lemon slices.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F and take out a sheet pan. Then, make the spice mix. Combine all the spices in a small bowl and stir until well combined.
- Spread out the diced sweet potato and chickpeas on the sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, then sprinkle on the spice mix. Toss the sweet potato and chickpeas until everything is well coated. It should look like a spice paste is coating everything.
- Roast the sweet potato and chickpeas for about 25 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Flip the sweet potatoes and chickpeas about halfway through roasting to ensure they cook evenly.
- While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are roasting, make the couscous and dressing. In a medium sauce pan, bring the broth or water and teaspoon of olive oil to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover tightly and remove from heat. Let the couscous steam for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Keep the couscous covered to stay warm until the other ingredients are ready.
- In a bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, parsley, salt and pepper and whisk or shake until well combined.
- Once roasting is complete, assemble the dish. In a large bowl, combine the couscous and dressing and stir until the couscous is well coated. Then, fold in the roasted sweet potato and chickpeas. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
NOTES
- Gluten free option: You can also use quinoa in this recipe. Simply cook 1 cup dry quinoa according to manufacturer instructions and use it in place of the couscous. You can also use gluten-free couscous. Be sure to follow the package instructions for the correct cooking time.
- Be sure to season with salt to taste once you’ve assembled the dish. I’ve purposely not given an amount because it will change depending on whether you cook the couscous with broth or water.
- This recipe will serve 6-8 as a side dish.
