Couscous with Squid and Roasted Peppers, a simple and quick main dish with a taste of the sea, perfect to bring to the table for a quick lunch even outside the home. It is nothing more than a variation of the couscous with shrimp and zucchini recipe, equally tasty and fast to prepare.
For this recipe, I added some tomato paste to the couscous, to make it more colorful and flavorful. I enriched this main dish using pre-cleaned and cut squid rings cooked in a pan. Those who know me know that I do not particularly like cleaning fish, so why not take advantage of it when it is on sale and already cleaned.
Along with the squid rings, I also added two roasted peppers cooked in an air fryer. This way they are definitely more digestible and tasty. Curious to discover how to prepare the couscous with squid and roasted peppers? Then let’s go to the kitchen and prepare it together.
If you are interested in other cold main dish recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 304.20 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 16.97 (g) of which sugars 2.32 (g)
- Proteins 21.53 (g)
- Fat 15.60 (g) of which saturated 3.15 (g)of which unsaturated 1.39 (g)
- Fibers 1.73 (g)
- Sodium 1,544.64 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 289 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked couscous
- 1.7 cups water
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.35 oz tomato paste
- 1.3 lbs squid rings
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 glass white wine
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- chopped parsley (to taste)
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1.4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
Tools
- Air fryer
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Bowl
- Small pan
Steps
Put the water in a small pan and add the oil, salt, and tomato paste. Bring to a medium boil, then pour it into a bowl where you have placed the couscous. Cover with a plate or food wrap and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
In the meantime, wash and dry the peppers. Place them whole in the fryer basket and cook them at 374°F for 20 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking. Once roasted, let them cool.
Now clean a garlic clove and skewer it with a toothpick. Brown it in a pan with the oil for a few moments and add the cleaned and cut squid rings. Sauté on high heat for a couple of minutes, then deglaze with the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate, season with salt and pepper, and cook covered for 5 minutes. After the cooking time, increase the heat to thicken the sauce a bit and add the chopped parsley.
Now take the peppers, remove the skin, stem, seeds, and inner filaments. Then cut them into strips about half an inch thick. Now take the couscous, which will have absorbed the water by now, and fluff it with a fork.
Then add the squid with their sauce and the roasted peppers from the fryer. Season with a bit more oil, adjust the salt, and mix.
Storage and tips for couscous with squid
Fish couscous can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days in a container with a lid.
FAQ Questions and Answers for couscous with squid
Can the peppers be cooked in the oven?
Yes, you can roast the peppers in the oven, extending the cooking time.
What can I substitute for the squid rings?
Alternatively, you can use calamari.
