How to cook Pearl Couscous (Israeli Couscous)

Learn all the ways you can cook Pearl Couscous (a.k.a. Israeli Couscous) using just water, chicken/vegetable stock or tomato sauce.

This recipe will give you fluffy and never sticky couscous ideal as a tasty side dish or as a basic ingredient for many salads.

Instructions

If you skip the first step (sauteing) you'll need to first boil the water and then add the couscous and cook it until done.

Tip: Adding some fresh lemon juice to the water will prevent the couscous pearls to stick together. This is because the acidity of the lemon reduces the release of starch during cooking.

2nd method - Cook in stock without draining

This method is best for Pearl Couscous meant to be served as a side. Though you can use water, chicken stock or vegetable broth will add more flavor. Steps:

1. Sauté the couscous with olive oil.
2. Add the chicken stock (or vegetable broth or water) and bring to a boil.
3. Cover and cook until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 2 minutes.
5. Add a drizzle of olive oil and fluff up with a fork.

Notes:

The ratio for al dente couscous is 1 cup liquid per 1 cup couscous, as long as you cook the couscous in a pot covered with a lid (so that the liquid that evaporates returns to the pot).

Most packaging directions use a higher proportion of liquid but I find it produces mushy couscous. For softer couscous pearls you can increase the liquid to 1 ½ cups per 1 cup of couscous. Remember that if you cook it uncovered you'll probably need more liquid. Also, wider pots let more steam to escape, so additional liquid may be needed.

3rd method - Cook it with tomato sauce

This is not a very common method to cook Israeli couscous but it gives you very tasty results. The procedure is similar to this Greek beef stew with orzo pasta (Youvetsi).

The only downside is that it requires your intuition because depending on the quantity and the thickness of the sauce you may have to adjust how much water you‘ll need. In most cases you’ll need half a cup of sauce and 1 cup water per cup of couscous.

The steps:

1. Transfer the sauce and the amount of water needed to a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add the Pearl Couscous and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
3. Cook covered until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Taste and if the pearls are too firm add some extra hot water.
4. Let it rest in the pot for 2 minutes to absorb some of the remaining sauce and finish cooking.
5. Serve immediately, while the couscous is left with a thick, glossy sauce.

FAQ

Water Ratio

How much water do I need for 1 cup of pearl couscous? The general rule is that you'll need about 1 to 1 ¼ cups of water (or vegetable broth) for every 1 cup of Pearl Couscous.

This ratio is for couscous cooked in a pot covered with a lid. If you cook it uncovered you’ll probably need more liquid.

How do you make couscous pearls not sticky?

1. Toasting the pearls with olive oil before adding the water helps to make couscous not sticky (and also intensifies the taste!).
2. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the pot will help to make the pearls less sticky because the acidity of the lemon reduces the release of starch from the pearls.
3. Cook with plenty of water and drain using a colander. If you’re going to add it to salads you can also rinse it with water. If you rinse it, some of the starchy flavor will be lost but the flavors of the salad will make up for that loss.
4. Mix it with a tablespoon of olive oil. Olive oil coats the surface of the pearls and prevents them from sticking together.

What does pearl couscous taste like?

Pearl couscous is a type of pasta made from semolina so it tastes like tiny pasta pearls. If you take the extra step and sauté it with a bit of oil before boiling it, it will develop a sweet, almost nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with stews, braises, and grilled or roasted vegetables.

How much pearl couscous per person?

50 – 60 grams per person should be enough if it's meant to be served as a side. 50 grams of Israeli (pearl) couscous is about ⅓ of a cup.

If you go by the 1:1 rule, for ⅓ of a cup pearl couscous, you will need ⅓ of a cup (80 ml) liquid.