Steamy, saucy goodness! This Couscous Skillet is packed with vibrant flavors and freshness. Pearl couscous, tomatoes, chickpeas, spices, kale, and a bunch of fresh herbs and feta on top.
Pearl Couscous Skillet with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Feta
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I got this recipe to my inbox this morning and KNEW it was dinner. I just sat down and took my first bite and oh my god. Instant repeat. I think my tomatoes were diced a little too chunky so probably will do crushed next time but otherwise no notes. 10/10 will definitely be making again!!
Emma
Okay, well, that’s our sign. It’s time to go home for the day and tuck into this.
This chickpea and couscous skillet is the exact right kind of SOS cozy winter-is-getting-long recipe that I’ve been needing in my life this month. What month is it, anyway?
In This Post: Everything You Need For This Couscous Skillet
- Different Kinds of Beans to Use
- Alternate Protein Options
- A Note About Leftovers
- Other Sides (Besides the Kale)
- Couscous Skillet: Frequently Asked Questions
This whole thing eats almost like a casserole – big scoops of steaming, saucy goodness going onto each plate – with the couscous bringing the chewy bite, the chickpeas giving it some oomph, and the canned tomatoes and herbs bringing the happy illusion of sunshine in the middle of winter.
Although, speaking of seasons, this guy can also be done in the summer – kind of like that one-pan tomato and kale farro recipe from last summer.
I’ve been serving this with a little side of massaged kale, which I like so much that I included it here. It’s not really enough to call a salad, because it’s just kale that gets a gentle little spa treatment, but it’s just the right thing to provide some brightness and crunch and pack in some greens for the day.
Maybe I am a child, but my favorite part of this recipe is the chickpea mash in Step 1 because it helps make the texture more interesting and gives it a very slight feeling of rich creaminess. Plus… mashing things is fun.
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Pearl Couscous Skillet with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Feta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
Description
Steamy, saucy goodness! This Couscous Skillet is packed with vibrant flavors and freshness. Pearl couscous, tomatoes, chickpeas, spices, kale, and a bunch of fresh herbs and feta on top.
Ingredients
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Couscous Skillet with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Feta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- one 14-ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- one 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (I like fire-roasted)
- 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pearl couscous
- 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
- 3–4 tablespoons of mint leaves, chopped (optional, for topping)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional, for topping)
Massaged Kale Salad (for serving, if you want):
- 4–5 stalks kale, stems removed, torn into small bite-sized pieces (can be curly kale or lacinato kale, I use both)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cumin; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and mash gently a few times – this is optional but just creates a more interesting texture and helps it get a little bit creamy.
- Add the diced canned tomatoes; bring to a simmer.
- Add the broth, salt, and couscous; bring to a simmer, then cover and keep on low heat for 6-8 minutes or until the couscous is soft and has absorbed most of the liquid. It should be nice and soft / chewy, like an al dente pasta.
- Finish by stirring in chives. Massage the kale with the dressing ingredients in a small bowl for a minute or two, just until tender.
- Serve couscous with a little side of the massaged kale. Top individual servings with mint leaves and feta. Creamy, chewy, comforting – it’s so good!
Notes
The longer this rests, the more it will absorb liquid. I would recommend serving immediately, or just adding a bit more water when reheating to keep your leftovers creamy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean-Inspired
Keywords: couscous, tomatoes, skillet dinner
Other Things To Know About This Couscous Skillet
Other Types Of Beans To Use
If not using chickpeas, my next choice would be white beans such as cannellini beans! They are a bit more delicate and might break down more during the simmer, so I would probably advise adding half at the beginning (to mash), and the remaining half of them closer to the end so they hold their shape.
Other Protein Options
If beans aren’t in the cards for you, I think this would be great with chicken meatballs (these ones are exceptionally easy and very popular) or just store-bought frozen meatballs as well. To make sure you get them cooked correctly, I’d recommend cooking them separately and then just serving it all together at the end.
And, I mean, a rotisserie chicken is never a bad idea when you’re looking to just add some juicy chunks of savory protein to a meal. My daughters go nuts every time I bring one home from the grocery store.
FYI For The Leftovers
This makes a relatively small batch (2-3 servings) so you might not have a ton of leftovers! But if you do, just know that the couscous will continue to absorb liquid and so your leftovers will look and feel a bit drier than it did right out of the pan.
It’s best to eat this one fresh, and if you’re reheating leftovers, just make sure to add some additional water or broth to help it get things saucy / creamy again.
Other Sides (Besides The Kale)
If kale isn’t your thing, here are a couple of my other favorite sides that would work really well here: a Simple Green Salad (my daughters LOVE this and so do we), a pan of House Favorite Brussels Sprouts (same about the kid-approval), Avocado Caesar Green Beans (the sauce is SO GOOD), or a loaf of No Knead Bread (carbs on carbs but I’m not complaining).
Couscous Skillet: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I mash the chickpeas?
You can use a potato masher (affiliate link) or just the back of a wooden spoon works perfectly!
What is pearl couscous?
Couscous is actually a type of nutty-tasting pasta made from semolina flour and water. You can find pearl couscous at nearly any large grocery store (I found mine at my local Kowalski’s) or here on Amazon (affiliate link) – it’s similar to regular couscous, but it’s a smidge bigger.
Can I just use regular couscous?
I wouldn’t recommend it as a sub since regular couscous has a drier and fluffier texture.
How can I make this gluten-free?
Just sub gluten-free orzo in place of the pearl couscous.
Filed Under: All Recipes Bowls Dairy-Free Dinner Fall Healthy Kale Legume Main Dishes Quick and Easy Recipes Sugar-Free Summer Tomato Vegan Vegetarian Winter
February 6, 2023
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I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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This recipe was fantastic! I added a squeeze of lemon, more garlic, and some honey and it was fantastic!
Quick and delicious meatless meal! Made as is other than used mixed greens instead of kale. Served with store bought olive Parmesan ciabatta.
Made this tonight and so delicious! Don’t skip the salad on top and the mint made it oh so divine. I’m shocked at how quick and easy it was to come together. Didn’t have kale so used spinach and still amazing. What a great little healthy dinner.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t quite make the recipe as written. I didn’t have shallots or chives, so I substituted the onion I had. And I used beef broth instead of veggie broth because I had some in my fridge that needed to be used. The end result was really tasty! I found the mint really added an interesting quality that I enjoyed. Next time I make this, I’ll make it as written to see how the intended flavor profile compares.
My daughter said this tasted like it was from a restuarant! And my son was nervous about all the kale but ended up gobbling it up. Delicious!
This was delicious! My daughter said it tasted like it was from a restaurant, and my son thought it was amazing as well! He was a little nervous when he saw all the kale but ended up gobbling it all up. I will be adding this to our weekly rotation.
Just made this tonight and it’s SO good!! Added a squeeze of lemon at the end and it was perfect
I liked it but it was very bland.
This was SO easy and delicious! I stirred in spinach instead of making the kale salad because we had a ton of spinach on hand, but the kale salad sounds like a fabulous addition. I also chopped up some roasted chicken thighs and added it in after cooking. I doubled the recipe and it gave my family of three two nights of dinner and one lunch! On the first night, we ate just this dish, and on the second night, I served this dish alongside grilled cheese sandwiches.
This recipe (with a couple modifications) has made its way into our favourite, quick, plant-based recipes! Didn’t have any fire-roasted tomatoes so added some smoked paprika, along with oregano, and turmeric. Chefs kiss, thank you for the inspiration!!
Super simple but also delicious recipe. I wasn’t sure how the kale with the semi sweet dressing would go with the savory chickpeas and couscous, but it was a great combo. Great one to keep on hand for an easy weeknight meal!
Wow this was delicious. It surprised me, for such a simple recipe it was so yummy. Made some adjustments for 28 ounce cans by adding more couscous. Added some finely chopped kale and just threw the mint in . Love it
I have made this more times than I can count. It is so warm and nourishing and SO easy! I typically have a can of chickpeas, canned tomatoes, and orzo or cous cous on hand and this is my go-to when I don’t want to go grocery shopping!
This was delicious!
I used regular couscous since I didn’t have pearl- it was fluffy but not at all in a negative way, though I’m sure I’ll need more broth for heating up leftovers!
I also roasted some chicken thighs and finished them off in the skillet for additional protein.
Didn’t have fresh kale for a salad, so I just threw in some frozen kale for some color at the end as well.
So flavorful, definitely making this again- will grab pearl couscous for next time as well since I don’t think I’ve ever tried it!
Decided to double up last minute so ran out of diced tomatoes – added a good splash of pasta sauce and it came out great!! Like a vegetarian chop suey
This is so crazy good! I love it all! Don’t skip the feta and mint. It completes the recipe! And I didn’t think I liked plain kale, but it’s amazing!!!
Really loved this for a cozy Sunday dinner. Pearled cous cous has the best chewy texture! Even my kids (7 and 3) loved it. I gave the diced fire roasted a quick blitz in the blender to make it more of a crushed tomato consistency after reading another comment. I didn’t use mint and didn’t miss it. I served it with the kale salad in the recipe and roasted butternut squash. Will definitely make again!
This recipe did not sound delicious to me, but it was included in my meal plan, and the benefit / ease of following a plan outweighed the fact that I wasn’t looking forward to eating it. OMG – let me say how wrong I was! This is DELICIOUS!! I couldn’t find the pearl couscous so I subbed whole wheat orzo (totally fine). I can’t recommend this one enough. A true one-pot meal, minimal chopping/prep, comes together quickly, and did I mention that it’s delicious?! Look forward to eating it again and again and again!
Sooo good, I made with vegan feta and it was so comforting and quick to make! I did add double the cumin and some other Mediterranean spices (za’atar, garlic, paprika, a bay leaf during the simmering and some red pepper flakes for a bit more of a kick) Don’t skip the mint! It really brings the dish together
Could this work with quinoa? Or another grain?
We wouldn’t recommend quinoa here, but you could try orzo instead!
I followed the recipe EXACTLY and it turned out ok. There was way too much excess liquid leftover even after it sat for ten minutes.
This was so good and so easy! I was very impressed. It made just enough for my husband and I to each have a 1-2 servings and then have some leftover for lunches the next day. I made a different kale salad for the side but it was great.
Great article. I’ve been checking this blog constantly and I’m impressed! Extremely useful information, especially the last part where wheel spinner made me process a lot of information. I have been looking for this information for a long time. thanks and good luck!
W💜W, this is so quick, so easy and so good.
I added about 6 handfuls of baby spinach to up the veggie quota. Steamed them onto top of the couscous for about 5 mins then stirred them through and popped the lid back on for another 5.
This was sooooooo good! I’m not a huge kale fan but I steamed some broccoli and tossed with the dressing and it was a nice complement. Your recipes are always unique – thank you! Will definitely make this again!