This Mushroom Couscous isn't your boring old couscous. It's filled with flavor from the buttery sautéed mushrooms and onions, chicken stock and parmesan cheese. It takes under 30 minutes to make, and cooks all in one pot for the perfect side dish!
This Israeli Pearl Couscous with Mushrooms has a similar vibe to my garlic parmesan risotto and it's seriously so creamy and delicious. It's super versatile and pairs well with steak, chicken, fish or pork, and sometimes I even eat it as the main course.
Couscous can be bland sometimes, but I can assure you that this recipe is not. Pearl couscous is actually a type of pasta and you get that "comfort feel of pasta" from this recipe.
Try serving this recipe beside this Chicken Romano, Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken or Blackened Salmon in the Air Fryer.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Flavor Packed. Couscous is cooked in chicken stock with sautéed mushrooms and onions for some serious flavor. Plus, parmesan cheese is stirred in for extra creaminess.
- Quick. Little prep time and ready to eat in under 30 minutes.
- One Pot Recipe. No cleaning multiple pots in this recipe!
- Easy to Make. Nothing tricky about this recipe, just follow the step by step instructions.
If you love easy side dishes, try these Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes, Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad and Teriyaki Broccoli.
Ingredients:
Pearl Couscous: A larger version of couscous that is like tiny balls of pasta. It's toasted and gets this delicious nutty flavor. It's also called Israeli couscous. Try these Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers that use pearl couscous too.
Mushrooms: I used the caps of white mushrooms for this recipe, which are really delicious with a mild flavor.
Chicken Stock: A liquid to cook the couscous and adds so much taste versus using water. I love the Kitchen Basics brand and I suggest using stock over broth.
Onions and Garlic: Added for flavor.
Butter: Adds richness to the recipe.
Parmesan Cheese: Creates a creamy texture and adds a nutty taste. I prefer parmigiano reggiano cheese for its superior flavor. It's more pricey than other varieties, but in my opinion it's worth the cost.
Parsley: Sprinkled on before serving to add a fresh taste.
*Full recipe ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations:
The mushrooms can easily be substituted with your favorite varieties. Portabello or Baby Bellas would be great with the flavor profiles used in this recipe.
If you want a salty, beef flavor, almost like French onion soup, you could use beef stock with a gruyere cheese, instead of chicken stock with parmesan.
I highly recommend chicken stock over chicken broth for it's deeper flavor, but in a pinch you can use broth and just add a bit more salt (½ teaspoon or so) to the recipe.
For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock or water instead of the chicken stock. It won't have as much flavor, but will still taste good!
This recipe has to be made with Pearl couscous. If you're looking for a Moroccan Couscous recipe, try this Chicken Couscous.
How to Make Mushroom Couscous (Step by Step Instructions):
Step 1: Heat a dutch oven or large pot with lid over medium low heat on the stovetop. Add in the butter and allow to melt. Toss in the mushrooms, onions, and salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes to soften, stirring every few minutes.
Step 2: Pour in couscous and garlic and cook for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds.
Step 3: Stir in the chicken stock. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Uncover and stir using a wooden spoon to scrape any couscous that is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir, then cook for 2 more minutes. You may need to add a splash (¼ cup) of chicken stock to the pot to finish the cooking process. Once the couscous is tender, turn off the stovetop heat.
Step 5: Open up the pot, stir in parmesan cheese. It should melt right away.
Step 6: Top with fresh parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Shred the parmesan fresh from a block on the fine setting. This way it will melt instantly when it hits the couscous. Bagged cheese has preservatives included for anti-caking that don't melt well.
- The last 5 minutes of cooking this couscous can be a little tricky. Make sure to uncover and stir every few minutes to avoid sticking. If the couscous isn't cooked and the chicken stock is all absorbed, add about ¼ cup of chicken stock, stir and cover for another few minutes.
Big on pasta for dinner? Try this Baked Tortellini Alfredo Casserole, Pastina Soup, and Ground Chicken Spaghetti.
Recipe FAQs:
Stir in a splash more of chicken stock (¼ cup) and cover and cook for a few minutes. Drop the heat a little bit if needed too.
Pearl or Israeli Couscous is a small ball, that is a lot like pasta while Moroccan is much smaller and when cooked it has fluffy texture closer to quinoa.
Store the leftover couscous is a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, add the couscous back into a saucepan and cook covered on low heat. Add ¼ cup of chicken stock, if needed, to get the texture right and cook until hot, stirring frequently.
More Dinner Ideas You Will Love:
Recipe
Mushroom Couscous
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Mushroom Couscous isn't your boring old couscous. It's filled with flavor from the buttery sautéed mushrooms and onions, chicken stock and parmesan cheese. Plus, it takes under 30 minutes to make, and cooks all in one pot for the perfect side dish!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 ounces white mushroom caps, diced (about 1 cup of chopped mushrooms)
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup Pearl (Israeli) Couscous
- 1 and ½ cups chicken stock (+ an additional ¼ cup if needed)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded fine from a block
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or large pot with lid over medium low heat on the stovetop. Add in the butter and allow to melt. Toss in the mushrooms, onions, and salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes to soften, stirring every few minutes.
- Pour in couscous and garlic and cook for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chicken stock. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Uncover and stir using a wooden spoon to scrape any couscous that is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir, then cook for 2 more minutes. You may need to add a splash (¼ cup) of chicken stock to the pot to finish the cooking process. Once the couscous is tender, turn off the stovetop heat.
- Open up the pot, stir in parmesan cheese. It should melt right away.
- Top with fresh parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Shred the parmesan fresh from a block on the fine setting. This way it will melt instantly when it hits the couscous. Bagged cheese has preservatives included for anti-caking that don't melt well.
- The last 5 minutes of cooking this couscous can be a little tricky. Make sure to uncover and stir every few minutes to avoid sticking. If the couscous isn't cooked and the chicken stock is all absorbed, add about ¼ cup of chicken stock, stir and cover for another few minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Israeli
Payton
This is my new favorite side dish. So creamy and delish & I love the parm cheese added.
Tara Smithson
I'm obsessed with this recipe too. So good! Thanks for the review.