We love couscous for a quick weeknight side dish. It’s the perfect medium to dress up with veggies & dressing, or you can simply enjoy it on its own. This guide will teach you how to Microwave Couscous so it’s fluffy and perfect every time. The best part? It only takes about 5 minutes. You will use this method over and over.
What is Couscous?
Couscous is a tiny pasta made from semolina wheat. It cooks particularly fast because of its size, but also because as it’s processed, it’s steamed. All it takes is some hot liquid to reactivate it into perfectly fluffy couscous.Â
Types of Couscous
The Best Couscous to Microwave is Moroccan Couscous
- The type you see in our photos is Moroccan couscous, which is what this recipe calls for. It’s the smallest of the types of couscous, and is best for the microwave method.
Other Couscous Types (best for stovetop cooking)
- Israeli/Pearl couscous is another kind of couscous, which is a medium, pearl shape.
- There’s also Lebanese couscous, which has the largest shape of all types. For anything larger than Moroccan, I recommend cooking it on the stove top.
Where to buy Couscous
I like to buy my couscous at Trader Joe’s. You can also purchase it on Amazon in a larger container for under $10 if you want some to keep in your pantry. It really is such a great side dish on a busy weeknight! Way faster than rice, and a nice change up.
How to Microwave Couscous
The ratio for microwaving couscous is 1:1. So, 1 cup of water to 1 cup couscous. You can increase the servings as much as you want very easily. The following instructions are about for 4 people, which is about  1/4 cup per person, a side dish serving.Â
- The first step is to use a microwave safe bowl (one like this is great as it is resistant to over 500 degrees!).
- Add the water, salt, and the couscous to the microwave safe bowl. Give it a good stir.
- Microwave for about 3 minutes uncovered.Â
- Remove from the microwave, and cover with a dish towel to allow it to steam for about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir, and the couscous will be perfectly fluffy, and ready to serve!Â
You can add a plat of butter to the couscous, or 2 teaspoons of olive oil to add a little bit of smoothness.
Serving & Storing Microwaved Couscous
Once the couscous is fluffy and ready to eat. you can serve it as is, or you can dress it up. I love serving plain couscous with a flavorful protein dish, like feta & herb crusted salmon, sheet pan chicken breasts with lemon dill sauce, and honey mustard salmon,
Serving Ideas for Couscous:
You can easily make an entire meal out of couscous in a big tossed salad. Here’s some ideas.
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad: Perfect for meal prep. Super healthy, too.
- Southwest: Combine warm or cooled couscous, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, cotija cheese, and use a homemade tomato vinaigrette.
- Herb & Feta: Combine cooled couscous, feta cheese, chopped cucumbers, and dress it in our protein based green goddess dressing.Â
- Summer Couscous: Combine strawberries, blueberries, and spinach with cooled couscous. Toss in strawberry vinaigrette. Also delicious with feta cheese.
Reheating Leftover Couscous
If you have leftover couscous, store it in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you plan to reheat it, add a tablespoon or two of water before microwaving it on medium heat for 30 seconds. Be sure to use a microwave safe bowl!
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How to Microwave Couscous
Equipment
- 1 microwave safe bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine water, couscous, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Microwave on medium high heat for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, and cover with lid or dishtowel for additional 3 minutes to allow liquid to fully absorb. Allow to slightly cool before serving.
- Fluff with a spoon and enjoy.
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