Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas is an easy and tasty first course, great both hot and cold during the summer months. A simple and complete vegetarian dish: couscous can be prepared quickly, and if you use the precooked couscous found at the supermarket it only takes 5 minutes. You can use dried chickpeas or, for a faster option, canned chickpeas. You can cook the vegetables in a pan, in the oven or in an air fryer. I also recommend taking a look at COLD COUSCOUS RECIPES and other Couscous recipes. Now let’s see how to make couscous with vegetables and chickpeas and if you try it please let me know. Barbara
I also recommend trying:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Low cost
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Air Fryer, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups couscous
- 1 cup water
- to taste salt
- 1 zucchini
- 1 red onion (Tropea variety)
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 1/3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste black pepper
How to make Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas
Let’s start preparing Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas. If you use dried chickpeas, soak them in cold water for 10-12 hours — I soak them overnight so they have all night to rehydrate.
After soaking, drain the chickpeas and proceed to cook them. Put water in a pot, add the chickpeas and cook them for about 40 minutes. When they are cooked, add a pinch of salt to the cooking water, stir and let the chickpeas rest in the cooking water for a few minutes.
Clean and wash the vegetables: trim the ends of the zucchini and cut into rounds, wash and halve the cherry tomatoes. Clean the bell pepper, remove seeds and inner membranes, then cut into strips; peel and slice the onion.
Place the vegetables on a baking tray, add salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil, and cook them either in the oven or in the air fryer as I did. In the air fryer, cook at 374°F for 12 minutes; in the oven, cook at 356°F for 20 minutes.
Cook the couscous: pour water into a small saucepan, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. As soon as the water starts boiling, pour in the couscous and turn off the heat; let it rest according to the time indicated on the package.
Fluff the couscous with a fork, transfer it to a bowl, add the cooked chickpeas and the cooked vegetables, adjust the seasoning, add some extra virgin olive oil and serve hot — or let it cool to room temperature if you prefer it cold.
How to store Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas
Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; you can freeze it for a few months.
