Couscous with seven vegetables
Non-vegetarian
Fluffy couscous piled with lamb and a colourful mix of carrots, turnips, courgettes, pumpkin, cabbage, tomatoes and chickpeas, all simmered in a saffron-tinged broth. The traditional Friday family meal in Morocco.
Couscous with seven vegetables is a Moroccan main course from Morocco, ready in about 2 hours 10 minutes and made with lamb shoulder and couscous. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 h 40 min
- Total
- 2 h 10 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Intermediate
- Calories
- 761
Ingredients
For the broth
Vegetables
For the couscous
Method
Step 1
In a large pot, cook the lamb with the oil, onions (opens in a new tab), tomatoes (opens in a new tab), spices and salt over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
- 10 min
- medium heat
- Stockpot / large pot (opens in a new tab)
How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels Step 2
Add the herb bundle and water, bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
- 45 min
- medium-low heat
Step 3
Add the carrots (opens in a new tab), turnips (opens in a new tab) and cabbage (opens in a new tab) and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the courgettes (opens in a new tab), pumpkin (opens in a new tab) and chickpeas (opens in a new tab) and cook another 20 minutes until everything is tender but holding its shape.
- 40 min
- medium-low heat
Adding vegetables in stages stops the softer ones turning to mush.
Step 4
Meanwhile, put the couscous (opens in a new tab) in a wide bowl with the salt, pour over 450 ml of hot broth from the pot, cover and leave 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, rub in the butter (opens in a new tab), then steam over the simmering pot in a steamer (opens in a new tab) basket for 10 minutes for the lightest texture.
- 20 min
- medium heat
- Steamer (opens in a new tab)
Step 5
Mound the couscous (opens in a new tab) on a large platter, make a well and arrange the meat in the centre and the vegetables around it. Ladle over some broth and serve the rest in a jug.
- 5 min
About this dish
- Origin
- Morocco · Well documentedCouscous itself is a shared Maghrebi heritage (inscribed by UNESCO jointly for Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia); the seven-vegetable version is a Moroccan tradition.Also popular in Algeria, Tunisia, FranceMore food from Morocco
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Stews & braises
- Cooking method
- Simmered, Steamed
- Taste
- savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced, mild, sweet
- Diet
- No nut ingredients · High-proteinWith the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), Eggetarian, Lacto-vegetarian, Ovo-vegetarian, Pescatarian, Flexitarian-friendly, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein - Good for
- Festive & celebration · Batch cooking · One-pot
- Cook more with
- Lamb shoulder · Couscous · Onion · Tomato · Ground ginger · Turmeric
Allergens
- Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom butter
- Contains: Wheatfrom couscous
- Contains: Glutenfrom couscous
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
761 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 875 g · recipe makes 6
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 16%
- Carbohydrate 42%
- Fat 42%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 761 kcal | 87 kcal |
| Protein | 31.2 g | 3.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 80.7 g | 9.2 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 69.5 g | 7.9 g |
| Sugars | — | — |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 11.2 g | 1.3 g |
| Fat | 35.8 g | 4.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 13.7 g | 1.6 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 71 mg | 8 mg |
| Sodium | 1249 mg | 143 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 3.1 g | 0.4 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 1230 mg
- Calcium
- 165 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 109 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 563 µg
- Vitamin C
- 58 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.9 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- —
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: saffron.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Traditionally the couscous is steamed two or three times in a couscoussier above the broth; the soak-and-steam method here is a good home shortcut.
Common mistakes
- Cutting vegetables small — they should be in big pieces so they stay intact.
Serve with
- Serve with buttermilk (lben) to drink, as is traditional, and harissa on the side for those who like heat.
Food safety
- Simmer stewing beef, goat or lamb until fork-tender; cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours.
Storage
- Store couscous and broth separately; refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
- Steam or microwave the couscous with a splash of broth; reheat the stew gently.
Variations
- Tfaya topping: Top with onions and raisins slowly caramelised with cinnamon and honey.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish
Recipe DNA
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