Authentic Moroccan Couscous Recipes | All You Need To Know

In this article & Podcast we look at the origin of couscous, Authentic Moroccan couscous recipes, exactly how couscous is made and Where did come from?, plus the different types of couscous…

What exactly is Moroccan couscous?

Couscous is the most typical traditional Moroccan food. This skillfully rolled semolina is the basis of several spicy dishes as well as hot and sweet ones. Couscous can be served as a one-course family meal or at the end of a ceremonial banquet.

Where did couscous come from?

It is a traditional dish from the Maghreb, additionally referred to as Northwest Africa, and is so precious that Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia sent a joint bid for couscous to obtain abstract cultural heritage food from UNESCO, a status delivered for the world’s most valued cultural skills, and it was accepted last December 2020.

However altogether, the questionable silences about couscous in sources from before the 13th century, combined with the noticeable Berber origin of the Arabic word ‘ksaksou’; recommends that couscous emerged amongst the Berbers of Morocco as well as North Algeria throughout the old duration in between the 11th-century and also period of Almohads dynasty in the 13th.

But Morocco has developed more authentic Moroccan couscous recipes, that you can explore below.

What is couscous made of?

Curious to know where couscous comes from? In spite of the common belief that Moroccan couscous is a kind of entire grain; it is really a pasta made from semolina as well as wheat flour that is dampened and also thrown with each other till it forms little rounds.
There are several types of couscous made with a selection of various grains such as barley, corn, millet, and also almond flour.

Does couscous have gluten?

If you are asking for if this Authentic Moroccan couscous have gluten? The answer is YES! Is made from semolina and durum wheat and it absolutely has gluten. Couscous isn’t recommended for gluten sensitivity and celiac disease people.

Fortunately many agricultural cooperative in Morocco and also some companies provide non-gluten couscous for this people who are gluten sensitive.

How to make authentic Moroccan couscous? With 11 recipes

The grains of semolina should be fine, regular, separate and never sticky. To succeed in making this requires skill, patience and a knack that can only be acquired with long experience.

           How to make couscous from scratch

I am including here some ideas as to how couscous is rolled, but it is essential to watch a cook’s hands delicately manipulating the fine golden grains of semolina to realize how difficult it is to do oneself.

I recommend that you give it out to be rolled, if you live in Morocco, or simply buy the couscous grains in packets. Excellent varieties are on sale, which if fresh, can replace the couscous rolled at home.

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            Roll couscous:

Ingredients for 10 people :

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of fine sifted flour
• Salt
• Water

Have ready a “ghorbal”, a “tbeck”, salt water, a clean cloth, semolina and sifted flour. Put a bowl of semolina in the “gsââ”, sprinkle with a little cold water with salt and roll the semolina with the palm of the hand with even movements so as to roll all the grains and separate them. Roll again with a little flour and when the grains form small balls, begin the same operation again, adding flour and water with salt little by little, until the grains are well rolled. Put these grains in a “ghorbal” for sorting according to their size. Put the smallest grains of equal size on a clean cloth. Rub the other bigger ones with the palm of the hand in a “tbeck” adding a little flour. Sort again in the “ghorbal” according to size and put the smaller ones with those already on the cloth. Begin again until all the grains of semolina and flour have been used. The grains should be fine, quite separate and of even size. A soup spoonful of oil should now be added.

It is possible to prepare a large amount of couscous for preserving. It should be steamed for half an hour. Once the desired amount is steamed, it should be put in the sun to dry, spread out on a clean cloth. Wait until the grains are quite dry before putting in closed jars.

What are the different types of moroccan couscous?

              Khlii couscous with seven vegetables

Couscous Ingredients for 10 people :

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina rolled with :
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of sifted flour (see page 22) or :
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of ready prepared packet couscous
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of cabbage
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of red pumpkin
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of carrots
• 250 g (9 oz) of tomatoes
• 250 g (9 oz) of potatoes
• 250 g (9 oz) of eggplants
• 3 or 4 small hot peppers (chillies)
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of fresh kidney beans
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of khlii covered in fat
• 2 soup spoonfuls of sweet peppers
• 1 teaspoonful of pepper
• 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (mixed crushed saffron flowers and packet saffron)
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of onions
• 6 liters (11 pts) of water
• Enough salt to season
• 150 g (5 oz) of butter to stir into the couscous when cooked

Cooking time: about 2 hours.

Before to begin this authentic Moroccan couscous recipe, Put some water in the bottom part of the couscous steamer; add salt, sweet pepper, pepper, saffron, 2 quartered onions, 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of khlii. When it comes to the boil, take out the strips of Moroccan khlii, put on one side and add the cabbage cut into quarters. Bring to the boil. Then put the rolled couscous (see preparation) in the upper part of the steamer over the part in which the cabbage, etc., are cooking. Make the two parts of the steamer airtight by fixing a cloth steeped in flour and water paste round the join between the two so that the steam can only escape from the top.

When the couscous begins to let off steam, leave to cook for half an hour.

Remove the couscous and turn out into the “gsââ” and press lightly with a ladle to separate the grains. Leave to cool and sprinkle with a little cold water. Let the couscous air and then add more cold water, repeating this operation until the grains are swollen and saturated in water.

Leave to absorb all the water. In the meantime, about 1 hour before serving, put the remaining ingredients (the unpeeled eggplants, tomatoes, onions, carrots-peeled and cut up in quarters, the kidney beans from which the shoots have been removed, and the small hot chillies) in the pot which is still on the fire.

Cook the pumpkins and potatoes cut up in quarters, separately in a little of the stock. When the stock in the pot comes to the boil again, check the seasoning. Put the couscous in the “keskes”, put back over the boiling pot and seal the 2 parts as before. When the couscous starts giving off steam, take off the heat and pour into the “gsââ”. Add the butter, mix well and add as much stock as the couscous can absorb, stirring all the time. Serve on a large round dish after making a well in the middle of the couscous in which the vegetables are placed with the strips of khlii which have been reheated in the stock. Serve at once with extra stock served separately for those who prefer it moister.

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“k’dra” couscous with baby marrows “courgettes”, kidney beans and turnips

Ingredients of this authentic Moroccan couscous recipe, for 10 people

Cooking time: 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on the quality of the meat

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina rolled in 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of fine flour (see preparation) or :
• 1 packet of couscous weighing 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz)
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of shoulder of mutton in pieces or :
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of knuckle of veal
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of courgettes (baby marrows)
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of turnips
• 1 kg ( 2 lbs 3 oz) of fresh kidney beans
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of onions
• 1 handful of chopped coriander
• 1 soup spoonful of pepper
• 1/2 level teaspoonful of saffron (preferably crushed saffron flowers)
• 150 g (5 oz) of butter, in the stock
• 100 g (4 oz) of butter for the couscous
• 6 liters (11 pts) of water
• Salt

Put the pieces of meat in the lower part of the couscous steamer. Add 6 liters (11 pts) of water, 2 onions cut up into quarters, pepper, butter, saffron and salt. Bring to the boil and place the “keskes” (upper part of the steamer) full of rolled couscous (see prepation) on the boiling pot. Seal the two parts together as before with a cloth steeped in flour and water paste so that the steam can only escape from the top.

After the couscous has stopped to steam, let it cook for half an hour, then take off the couscous and pour into the “gsaa”. Press lightly with the ladle to separate the grains, leave to get cold and sprinkle with cold water. Let the couscous air and then repeat the same operation until the grains are swollen and saturated with water. Leave to absorb all the water.

In the meantime, and about 1 hour before serving, put the remainder of the ingredients in the pot which is still boiling over the fire-first the turnips cut in quarters and the kidney beans from which the shoots have been removed; then, after a quarter of an hour’s boiling, the baby marrows cut in 4 and seeded but not peeled, the sliced onions and chopped coriander. When it has boiled for a while checks the seasoning and put the couscous back into the keskes. Put the keskes on top of the pot and again seal the two parts of the steamer.

When the couscous starts steaming, take off the heat and pour into the “qsââ”, add the butter, mix well and add as much stock as the semolina can absorb while stirring. Put the couscous on a large round dish, form a cone, with a well in the middle for the meat and vegetables and serve immediately.

“k’dra” couscous with baby marrows, kidney beans and turnips and creamy milk sauce

The same preparation as above. Replace the meat with chicken. When cooked mix a little stock with 1 litre (2 pts) of boiling milk. Add salt and pour over the couscous. Put the couscous, as before, on a large round dish, form a cone, with the meat and the vegetables in the centre. Decorate the couscous with a few hard-boiled eggs cut in half and place the vegetables all around. Serve immediately.

“K’dra” couscous with sheep’s heads, baby marrows, kidney beans and turnips

Place 2 or 3 sheep’s heads over a flame to burn off the wool; wash and scrape hard. Cut each head into 4 pieces after having shaken them briskly to make sure that any maggots in the mouth or ears fall out before cooking. Wash again in salt and water, brush with a stiff brush and rinse well.

Prepare the couscous in exactly the same way as for authentic Moroccan couscous recipe of “k’dra Couscous with baby marrows “courgettes”, kidney beans and turnips”, replacing the meat with sheep’s heads.

kidra” couscous with raisins and chick peas

Couscous ingredients for 8 to 10 poeple

Cooking time : approximately 2 hours

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina rolled in 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of fine sifted flour (see preparation) or:
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of packet couscous
• 1 chicken or 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of meat (either mutton or veal knuckle)
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of stoned raisins
• 1 glassful of chick-pease soaked overnight
• 1 1/2 kg (3 lbs 5 oz) of onions
• 1 soup spoonful of pepper
• 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (preferably crushed saffron flowers)
• 150 g (5 oz) butter for the stock
• 100 g (4 oz) buttter for mixing with the couscous when cooked
• 5 litres (9 pts) of water
• salt

Put 5 liters (9 pts) of water in the lower part of a couscous steamer. Add 2 sliced onions, the chick-peas, the chicken or meat cut into pieces, salt, pepper, saffron and butter. Bring to the boil. Put the steamer containing the rolled couscous over the boiling lower part and seal the two parts with a strip of cloth steeped in flour and water waste so that the water can only escape from the top. Cook for half an hour after the couscous has stopped to steam. Take the couscous off the heat and turn into the gsaa, pressing lightly with a ladle to separate the grains. Leave to cool then sprinkle with cold water, air and repeat the operation until the grains of semolina are swollen and saturated with water. Leave until all the moisture is absorbed. See if the chicken is cooked and take off the heat. Check the seasoning. Half an hour before serving, cut the onions into large pieces and put in the stock on the heat. Add the cleaned and washed stoned raisins. Bring to the boil and then put the couscous back into the steamer, sealing the two parts again. When the couscous begins to steam, take off the heat and turn into the “gsââ”; mix in the butter and as much stock as the couscous will absorb, stirring all the time. Heap the couscous on a large round dish, form a cone, with the meat or chicken in a well in the middle, together with the onions, chick-peas and raisins. Serve immediately with extra stock for those who like it.

“K’dra” couscous with onions and honey

Couscous ingredients for 8 to 10 people

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of fine sifted flour (see preparation) or :
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of couscous ready-prepared in a packet
• 1 chicken or 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of mutton or knuckle of veal
• 1 teaspoonful of pepper
• 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (preferably crushed saffron flowers)
• 100 g (4 oz) of butter for the stock
• 100 g (4 oz) of butter for mixing with the couscous after cooking
• 100 g (4 oz) of butter for browning the par-boiled onions
• 3 kg (6 lbs 10 oz) of onions
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoonful of cinnamon
• 1 glassful of honey
• 5 litres (9 pts) of water
• salt

Put 5 liters (9 pts) of water in the lower part of the couscous steamer. Add salt, pepper, saffron, the stick of cinnamon, the chicken or meat, cut up into pieces, 2 sliced onions and 100 g (4 oz) of butter. Bring to the boil. Put the upper part of the steamer, containing the couscous, on the boiling pot. Seal the 2 parts with a strip of cloth steeped in flour and water paste so that the steam can only escape through the top. Leave to cook for half an hour after it begins to steam. Take the couscous off the boiler and pour into the “gsââ”, press lightly with a ladle to separate the grains of semolina. Leave to cool and sprinkle with cold water, let the couscous air and then begin the operation again until the grains are swollen and saturated with water. Leave until all the moisture has been absorbed.

Check the seasoning of the stock. If the chicken or the meat is cooked, take out of the stock.

In the meantime slice the onions into rings. Bring to the boil separately and strain; then brown well in the butter and add to them the teaspoonful of cinnamon, honey and a pinch of salt. Mix for 5 minutes in the pan and then take off the heat. Half an hour before the meal is to be served, put the pot of stock back on the heat with the couscous over the top in the upper part of the steamer. Seal the two parts. As soon as the couscous begins to steam, turn out into the “gsââ”, add the butter, mix well and pour over as much stock as the couscous will absorb, stirring all the time. Heap the couscous on a large round dish, form a cone, with the meat and reheated browned onions in a well in the middle. Serve at once with extra stock separately for those who prefer it.

Authentic Moroccan couscous recipes vegetarian “Bidaoui” with seven vegetables

Couscous ingredients for 10 people

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina rolled in 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of sifted flour (see preparation) or :
• 1 packet of couscous weighing
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz)
• 150 g (5 oz) of butter for the cooked couscous
• 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (preferably crushed saffron flowers)
• 1 soup spoonful of pepper
• 6 liters (11 pts) of water
• salt
• 250 (9 oz) of turnips
• 250 g (9 oz) of eggplants
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of carrots
• 2 hot peppers (chillies)
• 1 handful of chopped coriander
• 150 g (5 oz) of butter for the stock
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of meat (knuckle of veal or shoulder of mutton)
• 1 medium-sized Savoy cabbage
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of onions
• 4 or 5 tomatoes
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of red pumpkins

Put the pieces of meat cut into pieces, 2 sliced onions, the cabbage cut into pieces, 150 g (5 oz) of butter, saffron, pepper and salt in the bottom part of the couscous steamer. Pour over the 6 liters (11 pints) of water and boil. Put the upper part of the steamer full of rolled couscous over the boiling stock. Seal the two parts of the steamer with a piece of cloth steeped in flour and water paste so that the steam can only escape from the top. Leave to cook for half an hour from the moment the couscous begins to steam. Take the couscous off the heat and pour into the “gsââ”, press lightly with a ladle to separate the grains, leave to get cold and sprinkle with cold water. Let the couscous air and then sprinkle with water again, repeating the operation until the grains are swollen and soaked with water. Leave to absorb all the water. In the meantime and about 1 hour before serving, place in the pot which is still boiling the tomatoes, the eggplants quartered but not peeled, the onions, carrots and turnips-peeled and quartered-the hot peppers and the chopped coriander.

Cook the potatoes and the pumpkin cut in quarters separately in a little of the stock. Check the seasoning of the stock and. half an hour before serving, put the couscous back to steam sealing the 2 parts as before. When the couscous starts to steam, take off the heat and turn out into the “gsââ”, add the butter, mix well and pour over as much stock as the couscous can absorb, stirring all the time. Put on a large round dish with the couscous heaped into a cone and the meat and vegetables in a hollow in the middle. Serve at once with extra stock served separately for those who like it more moist.

Dry bone couscous with seven vegetables

Soak the dried bones in water and rinse well. Prepare the dry bone couscous in the same way as the khlii one, replacing the khlii with 7 or 8 dried bones and 100 g (4 oz) of butter. Do not salt until after having tasted the boiling stock. Leave the bones in the bottom part of the steamer throughout the cooking of the couscous.

Authentic Moroccan couscous recipes with chicken (pigeons, meat)

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina rolled into very fine grains with 250 g (9 oz) of flour (see preparation)
• Or 1 packet of couscous weighing
• 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz)
• 1 teaglass of orange-flower
• Water
• 3 glassfuls of caster sugar
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of stoneless raisins
• 300 g (11 oz) of melted butter
• 2 level soupspoonfuls of cinnamon
• 400 g (14 oz) of almonds

Put 4 or 5 liters of water (7 or 9 pts) to boil in the lower part of the couscous steamer and bring to the boil. Coat the well-rolled couscous with a spoonful of oil and put in the steamer over the boiling water. As soon as it begins to steam take off the heat and turn into the “gsââ”. (If a packet of prepared couscous is used, leave to cook for half an hour from the time it begins to steam for the first time.) Crush lightly with a ladle to separate the grains, leave to cool, add a little salt and sprinkle the 2 soup spoonfuls of orange-flower water over it, then 3 soup spoonfuls of melted butter and 5 soup spoonfuls. of caster sugar. Leave for a quarter of an hour and put back in the steamer over the boiling pot. Repeat the cooking operation 6 times running, adding each time the orange-flower water. Butter and sugar in the same proportions. Leave for a quarter of an hour between each cooking period. When put to cook for the seventh and last time, add the washed and cleaned raisins. to the pot underneath the couscous. Take off the heat when it begins to steam. Turn the couscous and the raisins into the “gsââ”, crush lightly with a ladle to separate the grains, add two soup spoonfuls of cinnamon and 400 g (14 oz) of almonds which have been skinned, fried in boiling oil and crushed coarsely in a mortar. This couscous is used as a stuffing for chicken, pigeon and stuffed meats.

“Medfoun” couscous

Ingredients of this authentic Moroccan couscous recipe for 10 people

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina finely rolled in :
• 200 g (7 oz) of fine flour (see preparation) the offal from 6 chickens or:
• 750 g (1 lb 10 oz) of shoulder of mutton cut int small pieces
• 5 chopped onions
• 1/2 teaspoonful of pepper
• Enough saffron to cover the tip of a knife (crushed flowers)
• 1 stick of cinnamon or one teaspoonful of cinnamon
• 100 g (4 oz) of butter for the sauce
• 100 g (4 oz) of butter to mix with the cooked couscous
• salt

Cook the offal or the meat separately in a thick-bottomed saucepan with the chopped onions, salt, pepper, saffron, cinnamon and butter. Cover with water. When the meat is cooked, allow all the moisture to boil away until the butter reappears. Take off the heat and put on one side.

In the meantime, cook the couscous for the first time in the steamer for half an hour as described for “saycouk” page 186. Turn out into the “gsââ”, press lightly to separate the grains, leave to get cold and sprinkle with 2 glassfuls of water. Leave on one side to air.

A quarter of an hour before serving, cook the couscous a second time over the steam. When it begins to steam, wait 5 minutes before turning it out into the “gsââ”. Separate the grains with a ladle and add 100 g (4 oz) of butter. Re-heat the offal or meat and mix the sauce with the couscous.

Place a lyer of plain couscous at the bottom of a round dish, then a layer of offal, or meat, then a second layer of couscousformed into a dome. Decorate with cinnamon and serve with bowls of caster sugar and fresh, unboiled milk.

“Belboula” couscous (barley semolina)

Belboula is prepared in the same way as the authentic Moroccan couscous recipe for khlii couscous with seven vegetables or the k’dra couscous with marrows, kidney-beans and turnips.

Belboula is not rolled but simply washed and salted. It must be steamed twice for half an hour each time. Do not forget to sprinkle it with water after cooking for the first time. Use 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of barley semolina in the proportions given in the preceding couscous recipes.

“Baddaz” couscous (fine corn semolina)

Belboula is also prepared as the r authentic Moroccan couscous recipe for the seven vegetables and khlii couscous or the k’dra couscous with marrows, kidney-beans and turnips.

Put 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of semolina in the “gsââ”. Baste with 2 soup spoonfuls of oil and add 1 heaped teaspoonful of salt. Moisten the semolina gradually with a glassful of water, rolling it with the palms of the hands.

Put in the upper part of the couscous steamer, over the boiling lower part, and leave to cook for 1 hour. Turn out, separate the grains, add water and leave to cool. Steam a second time for a quarter of an hour. Then pour on as much stock as the couscous can absorb. Pour over melted butter and serve.

Arrange on a round dish as described for the other types of couscous.