Mediterranean Couscous with Seared Green Beans & Broccoli
There is something I really like about building a meal around couscous: you can start with a simple bowl of grains and turn it into something that tastes layered, bright and completely different depending on what you add.For this Mediterranean couscous, I went all in on those salty, briny, lemony flavors. The couscous gets tossed with herbs, lemon, soy sauce, spices and olive oil, then loaded with capers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and preserved lemon.
Ingredients
For the Mediterranean Couscous
- 1½ cups couscous
- 1½ cups vegetable broth or water
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as basil, mint or dill
- ¼ cup chopped olives
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon
For the Seared Green Beans & Broccoli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces green beans trimmed
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- Salt to taste
For Finishing
- ½ cup vegan yogurt
- ½ cup vegan Parmesan or vegan Parmesan-style cheese
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons Mediterranean spicy vegan paste or to taste
- 1 –2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Additional olives capers or preserved lemon, optional
Instructions
Make and season the couscous
- Prepare the couscous according to the package directions, then fluff it while it is still warm. Toss it with olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, parsley, soy sauce and your preferred spices. Fold in chopped capers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and preserved lemon, tasting as you go so the couscous is already delicious before the vegetables are added.
Sear the green beans
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the green beans. Season with salt and your preferred spices, then let them cook long enough to develop browned spots while remaining crisp-tender. Don't constantly move them around; giving them contact with the hot pan is what creates that good seared flavor.
Add and sear the broccoli
- Add the broccoli to the same pan and continue cooking until the florets develop some color. Season again as needed, remembering that the couscous already contains salty ingredients like soy sauce, olives, capers and preserved lemon. You're looking for vegetables that are browned on the outside but still have some texture.
Deglaze with wine
- Once the vegetables are nicely seared, pour in a splash of wine and scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce for a minute or two, then taste the vegetables and adjust the seasoning. This quick deglazing step gives the broccoli and green beans another layer of flavor without requiring a complicated sauce.
Assemble the couscous
- Spoon the seasoned couscous onto a large platter or individual bowls and arrange the seared green beans and broccoli over the top. Add generous spoonfuls of vegan yogurt, then finish with fresh lemon, vegan Parmesan and chopped herbs. The goal is to keep the different components visible rather than mixing everything into one uniform bowl.
Finish with heat and olive oil
- Spoon the spicy Mediterranean paste over the couscous wherever you want the heat, then drizzle everything with good olive oil. Finish with another squeeze of lemon and a little more parsley or vegan Parmesan if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature, which makes this recipe especially useful for lunches, gatherings and make-ahead meals.