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Moroccan Couscous with Lamb, Chicken and Vegetables

Traditional Moroccan couscous recipe with tender lamb, chicken and aromatic vegetables. Step-by-step guide for perfect steamed grains and rich broth.

Moroccan couscous is a traditional North African staple composed of fine steamed semolina grains served beneath a fragrant broth of vegetables, chickpeas, and warmly spiced meat—most commonly lamb or chicken, though it can be prepared vegetarian. Carrots, zucchini, turnips, onions, and sometimes pumpkin or squash simmer with tomatoes, cumin, coriander, ginger, and a touch of saffron or ras-el-hanout, creating a colorful medley that soaks into the fluffy couscous pearls. The dish is typically presented family-style, with the couscous mounded on a large platter and the aromatic stew ladled on top, often garnished with fresh herbs and toasted almonds. While enjoyed year-round, it holds special significance for Friday gatherings, holidays, and celebratory meals, symbolizing hospitality and communal sharing in Moroccan households.

Dish Image

Moroccan Couscous with Lamb, Chicken and Vegetables

With store-bought pre-steamed couscous, this classic can go from stovetop to table in under an hour, no couscoussier required. Make the spiced broth ahead, then reheat and ladle it over freshly fluffed grains for a fast, flavor-packed meal any night of the week.

Prep Time
40 minutes
Cook Time
120 minutes
Total Time
160 minutes
Servings: 8 Course: main-meals

Ingredients

  • Couscous (medium-grain semolina) 3 cups / 600 g

  • Lamb shoulder or shanks, bone-in, cut into chunks 1 ½ lb / 700 g
  • Chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks) 1 ½ lb / 700 g
  • Onions, finely chopped 2 large
  • Ripe tomatoes, grated or diced 2 medium
  • Carrots, peeled and cut into thick sticks 3 medium
  • Zucchini (courgettes), split lengthwise 3 medium
  • Turnips, peeled and quartered 2 medium
  • Potatoes, peeled and halved 2 medium
  • Pumpkin or butternut squash, large cubes 12 oz / 350 g
  • Green cabbage, wedged 8 oz / 230 g
  • Canned chickpeas, drained 1 cup / 200 g
  • Raisins, pre-soaked (optional) ½ cup / 70 g
  • Fresh cilantro, tied in a bundle ½ bunch
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley, tied in a bundle ½ bunch
  • Extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbsp
  • Unsalted butter or smen (preserved Moroccan butter) 2 tbsp
  • Ground turmeric 1 tsp
  • Ground ginger 1 tsp
  • Sweet paprika 1 tsp
  • Ground cumin ½ tsp
  • Ground cinnamon ¼ tsp
  • Ras el hanout (optional but traditional) 1 tsp
  • Saffron threads, crumbled and soaked 1 pinch
  • Freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp
  • Fine sea salt 2 tsp or to taste
  • Water or light chicken stock 8 cups / 2 L
  • Harissa paste, to serve (optional) 2–3 tbsp

Method

  1. Trim excess fat from lamb chunks

  2. Season lamb with salt black pepper ground ginger turmeric and saffron
  3. Heat olive oil in a large couscoussier or heavy pot over medium high heat
  4. Brown seasoned lamb on all sides
  5. Add chicken pieces to the pot
  6. Sear chicken until the skin is lightly golden
  7. Stir chopped onions into the pot
  8. Cook onions until they become translucent
  9. Add grated or crushed tomatoes to the pot
  10. Stir tomato paste into the tomatoes
  11. Sprinkle ground cumin ground coriander and cayenne over the mixture
  12. Add a tied bundle of whole cilantro and parsley
  13. Pour in enough water to cover the meat by about two inches
  14. Bring the contents to a boil
  15. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface
  16. Reduce the heat to medium low
  17. Cover the pot
  18. Simmer the meat for about forty five minutes
  19. Rinse canned chickpeas under cold water
  20. Add chickpeas to the pot
  21. Peel carrots
  22. Cut carrots into large chunks
  23. Peel turnips
  24. Cut turnips into wedges
  25. Peel pumpkin or sweet potato
  26. Cut pumpkin or sweet potato into large pieces
  27. Trim zucchini
  28. Cut zucchini into thick sticks
  29. Trim green beans
  30. Add carrot chunks to the pot
  31. Add turnip wedges to the pot
  32. Simmer the stew for fifteen minutes
  33. Add pumpkin or sweet potato pieces to the pot
  34. Simmer for ten minutes more
  35. Add zucchini sticks to the pot
  36. Add green beans to the pot
  37. Taste the broth
  38. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
  39. Stir in a pinch of ras el hanout if desired
  40. Place dry couscous grains in a large shallow bowl
  41. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the couscous
  42. Rub the oil into the grains with your fingertips
  43. Mix one teaspoon of salt into the couscous
  44. Pour just enough cold water over the couscous to barely cover it
  45. Let the couscous absorb water for ten minutes
  46. Break up any clumps of couscous with your fingers
  47. Transfer damp couscous to the steamer basket of the couscoussier
  48. Set the steamer basket over the simmering broth
  49. Steam the couscous for about fifteen minutes
  50. Tip the steamed couscous back into the shallow bowl
  51. Sprinkle half a cup of cold water over the couscous
  52. Fluff the grains with a fork
  53. Let the couscous stand for five minutes
  54. Break up clumps again with fingertips
  55. Return the couscous to the steamer basket for a second steaming
  56. Steam the couscous for another fifteen minutes
  57. Transfer the couscous back to the bowl
  58. Work two tablespoons of butter or smen into the couscous
  59. Splash a little more water onto the couscous if the grains feel dry
  60. Fluff the grains thoroughly
  61. Separate the grains thoroughly with your fingers
  62. Return the couscous to the steamer for a final ten minute steaming
  63. Taste the couscous
  64. Adjust salt if needed
  65. Check the vegetables for tenderness
  66. Check the meat for tenderness
  67. Remove the herb bundle from the broth
  68. Add whole hot chilies to the broth if you want extra heat
  69. Ladle a few cups of broth over the couscous
  70. Toss the couscous gently to moisten it
  71. Transfer the couscous to a large serving platter
  72. Form the couscous into a mound
  73. Create a well in the center of the couscous mound
  74. Arrange lamb pieces in the well
  75. Arrange chicken pieces in the well
  76. Surround the meat with carrots turnips pumpkin zucchini and other vegetables
  77. Scatter chickpeas over the couscous
  78. Moisten the dish with additional broth to taste
  79. Serve remaining broth in bowls on the side
  80. Offer harissa for guests to stir into their broth

Nutrition (whole recipe)

Calories
6574 kcal Protein
298 g Fat
261 g Carbs
774 g Fiber
91 g Sugar
121 g

Notes

For light, fluffy grains every time, drizzle the dry couscous with a tablespoon of olive oil and rub it in with your fingertips before adding hot liquid—each grain coats and stays separate. If you like a hint of sweetness, scatter a handful of golden raisins over the couscous while it steams; they plump up and echo the warm spices in the broth.

why this recipe

This Moroccan couscous recipe is a celebration of vibrant flavors and comforting textures: fluffy semolina pearls soak up an aromatic broth infused with ras el hanout, while tender vegetables and chickpeas add earthy depth and satisfying substance. A kiss of preserved lemon and fresh herbs brightens every forkful, creating a balanced dish that’s as nourishing as it is fragrant. Ready in under an hour, it’s perfect for weeknight cooking yet elegant enough for guests, delivering an effortless journey to the bustling markets of Marrakech right from your kitchen.

FAQs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use instant couscous instead of traditionally steaming the grains, and how should I adjust the recipe?
Yes. Swap the steamed couscous for the same volume of instant couscous; pour an equal volume of boiling lightly salted water or hot broth (about 3 cups/720 ml for 3 cups couscous) over it, add a drizzle of olive oil or knob of butter, cover, and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Prepare it just before serving and ladle the finished vegetable-meat broth on top as directed.
I don’t have a couscoussier—what’s the best way to steam the couscous with ordinary kitchen equipment?
Nestle a fine-mesh metal colander or folding steamer basket over a deep pot of simmering water or broth, making sure the bottom sits above (not in) the liquid. Line it with cheesecloth or a thin tea towel so no grains escape, heap in the damp couscous, cover tightly with a lid or foil, and follow the usual fluff-and-rest cycles between 10- to 15-minute steams. This improvised rig channels steam just like a couscoussier, yielding equally light, separate grains.
How can I adapt the recipe for vegetarians while keeping it flavorful?
Omit the lamb and chicken and build the stew on a base of onions, tomatoes, ras el hanout, saffron, and olive oil, then simmer the vegetables in a robust vegetable stock (or water) with doubled chickpeas plus protein-rich pumpkin, sweet potato, or cauliflower for heft. Finish with preserved-lemon brine, a knob of butter (or more olive oil), and a shower of fresh herbs or toasted almonds to replace the meat’s richness while keeping the couscous deeply aromatic and satisfying.

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