Spicy Peppery Pearl Couscous
Very colorful couscous dish made with broth and finished with Ro-Tel tomatoes giving it a spicy taste. Chopped fresh vegetables such as colored bell peppers, grape tomatoes, purple onion are added giving it a confetti appearance.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American-Italian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 261kcal
Pearl Couscous:
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup hot broth any kind
- 10 oz Ro-Tel Tomatoes 1 can
Vegetables:
- ½ red bell pepper cut in bite-size pieces
- ½ green bell pepper cut in bite-size pieces
- ½ orange bell pepper cut in bite-size pieces
- ½ purple onion (medium size) cut in bite-size pieces
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Prepare the vegetables and finish:
Cut the red, orange, and green pepper-halves into bite-size chunks.
Halve the cherry tomatoes.
Chop the purple onion.
Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and heat at medium-high. Add the vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes. The vegetables should still be firm and retain their color. Add the couscous and stir until the vegetables are mixed in.
Serve immediately with prepared protein.
- Use fresh vegetables for this couscous dish for best flavor and texture.
- Add extra heat to this dish by including cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or harissa paste. The Ro-Tel canned tomatoes also add delicious heat but you could use regular canned tomatoes as well.
- Cook the pasta in broth instead of water. This adds a deeper flavor.
- Once cooked, dress this couscous dish in lemon juice and olive oil for a bright, fresh flavor. Freshly chopped herbs as garnish is another way to flavor this dish. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil: After cooking the couscous, dress it with lemon juice and olive oil to give it a bright, fresh flavor. You can also add chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro for extra flavor.
- Reheat leftovers for a few minutes on medium heat on the stovetop or serve leftovers chilled.
- Cooked pearl couscous tends to clump once it starts to cool. Use a spatula to break it up when reheating or serving again.
- Add mushrooms, scallions, or whatever fresh vegetable you prefer to the mix.
Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 401mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1505IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg