Spinach Couscous with Lemon and Garlic

Spinach couscous is a quick and simple vegan side that takes those small durum wheat pearls and gives them the Popeye treatment. Backed up by the delicious combo of lemon and garlic, it's a low-fat dish that's ready in around 20 minutes.

Toasting the couscous in the pan will give it a nice texture and nutty flavour, but this is optional. Ideally you'll use a pan with a tight-fitting lid to combine the couscous and hot liquid, but you could also use a heat-proof bowl with a lid or cling film (plastic wrap).

For more vegan couscous recipes, check out this Mediterranean couscous salad and Moroccan spiced couscous.

What is spinach couscous?

Spinach couscous combines the popular leafy green vegetable with small balls of crushed wheat – also known as couscous. Technically a type of dried pasta, couscous cooks quickly to create a filling side or base for a larger meal.

Is spinach couscous healthy?

This low-fat dish is a great source of nutrients ranging from protein and fibre to various vitamins. In one serving of this recipe, you'll find:

• Calories: 219 kcal
• Protein: 7 grams (14% of RDA)
• Fibre: 4 grams (17% of RDA)
• Vitamin C: 21 mg (25% of RDA)
• Vitamin A: 3640 IU (73% of RDA)

Amounts based on a third-party nutrition calculator.

Liquid ratio

For the best results, use a measuring cup or mug to measure equal amounts of dried couscous to kettle-hot water (i.e. boiling water from a kettle). This will result in a 1:1 ratio, even though the liquid will weigh slightly more than the couscous (approx. 4 parts hot liquid to 3 parts couscous by weight).

For more info, see my main recipe for vegan couscous salad.

What you'll need

This simple couscous recipe is all about light, summery flavours. You'll need:

• Dried couscous as the star ingredient
• Onion and garlic for sweetness and depth
• Spinach leaves for nutrition and colour
• Lemon zest and juice for vibrant notes

How to make couscous with spinach

Heat a pan over low-medium heat and add the dried couscous to the dry pan. Toast gently for around 4-5 minutes or until golden brown, moving regularly to avoid burning.

Remove from the heat and set the couscous aside in a bowl.

After emptying the toasted couscous from the pan, heat the pan again on medium heat and add the oil. Add the chopped onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook for around 5 minutes or until starting to soften.

Once the onion has started to soften, add the garlic and spinach. Stir and cook gently for a few minutes until all of the spinach has wilted down.

Once the spinach has wilted, turn off the heat.

Stir in the toasted couscous and the zest of half a lemon (the juice will go in at the end).

Pour over the boiling water or vegan stock. Cover with a lid and leave to steam for around 5 minutes or until the couscous is soft, then fluff up lightly using a fork.

Stir in the chopped parsley and the juice of half a lemon. Adjust to taste, adding any extra salt, pepper, or lemon zest/juice, and serve.

Serving suggestions

This spinach couscous dish is great with tomato and onion salsa and alongside BBQ items such as vegan burgers, sausages, grilled king oyster mushrooms, or teriyaki tofu steaks.

For additional texture and protein, try adding toasted pine nuts, roasted chickpeas, roasted black beans, roasted lentils, or cashew parmesan to the couscous.

Recipe FAQ

Variations and tips for spinach couscous

• Pan v bowl: Ideally you'll use a pan with a tight-fitting lid to combine the couscous and hot liquid, but you could also use a heat-proof bowl with a lid or cling film (plastic wrap).
• Vegan cheese: Turn this into a dairy-free spinach and feta couscous dish by including cubes of your favourite vegan feta cheese.
• Other veg: Things like red pepper, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or other roasted veg would all work well here (see this Moroccan couscous for ideas).
• Other herbs: Try herbs such as fresh basil or coriander alongside (or instead of) the parsley.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Aloo Palak (Spinach and Potato Curry)
• Cucumber Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
• Vegan Raita with Cucumber and Mint
• Vegan Waldorf Salad
• Broad Bean and Mint Dip
• Crispy Vegan Roast Potatoes
• 15-Minute Tomato Tahini Pasta
• Vegan Haggis Toastie with Spinach

You can also check out my full list of vegan side dishes and vegan BBQ recipes.