This Israeli couscous recipe makes a delicious lunch, light dinner, or side dish. It can even be made ahead of time to allow the warm flavors of cinnamon and ginger time to deepen even more.
Add the uncooked couscous to a dry saucepan to toast for about 1 minute. This toasting adds a nice nutty flavor, but be sure to watch it closely to prevent burning.
In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in the toasted dry couscous, salt, and ginger and return to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes.
While this is cooking, go ahead and dice up the peppers and apricots.
Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add apricots, peppers, parsley, and cinnamon. Garnish with toasted almonds, if desired, and serve immediately.
Vegetable Broth- Most couscous packages say to cook it in water, but using vegetable broth instead adds a lot more flavor.
Toasting Couscous- Use a dry skillet to toast the couscous before boiling to give it a rich nutty flavor, so I highly recommend taking a few minutes to do this. Just be careful not to let it burn.
Serving Suggestions- Israeli (or pearl) couscous is about the size of a peppercorn when cooked, and it makes a great addition to cold salads and even soups. You might even try it in stir-fries like my Broccoli & Red Pepper Stir Fry or these really simple Veggie & Grain Bowls.
Avoiding Gluten- If you need a gluten-free dish, grains such as quinoa, rice, and bulgur can be substituted in this recipe.