Winter Vegetable Tagine Couscous (Printable)

A nourishing Moroccan stew featuring winter vegetables, spices, chickpeas, and fluffy couscous for cozy meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
05 - 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
06 - 1 small turnip, peeled and diced
07 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
09 - 1 zucchini, sliced
10 - 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
11 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

→ Spices & Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
15 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
17 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
18 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
19 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
20 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
21 - 2 cups vegetable broth
22 - 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
23 - 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

→ Couscous

24 - 1 1/2 cups couscous
25 - 2 cups boiling water or vegetable broth
26 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
27 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Garnish

28 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
29 - Lemon wedges

# How to Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic; sauté until softened, approximately 3 minutes.
02 - Add carrots, parsnips, turnip, sweet potato, bell pepper, zucchini, and butternut squash to the pot. Stir occasionally and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, smoked paprika, ground ginger, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, chopped apricots, and raisins. Stir well, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
05 - Place couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water or broth over couscous; add olive oil and salt. Cover tightly and let it stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
06 - Taste the stew and adjust salt and pepper as necessary to balance flavors.
07 - Ladle the vegetable stew over couscous. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns whatever neglected root vegetables are hiding in your drawer into something that tastes like you planned it all along.
  • The spices make your kitchen smell so good that neighbors will text asking what youre cooking.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day once everything has had time to sit together.
  • Its filling enough to satisfy without feeling heavy, and the sweetness from apricots keeps every bite interesting.
02 -
  • Dont skip toasting the spices in the pot, that one minute makes them smell ten times better and deepens the whole dish.
  • If your vegetables arent tender after 30 minutes, add a splash more broth and give them another 10 minutes with the lid on.
  • Let the couscous sit covered without peeking, lifting the lid releases the steam and youll end up with clumpy grains.
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables into similar sized chunks so everything finishes cooking at the same time and you dont end up with mushy squash and crunchy carrots.
  • If you want a thicker stew, mash a few pieces of sweet potato against the side of the pot near the end of cooking.
  • A small pinch of cinnamon stirred into the couscous while it sits makes it taste like it belongs with the tagine.

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