Israeli Couscous

4.88 from 8 votes

Toasted pearl couscous with pistachios and pine nuts, chewy raisins, a hint of cinnamon, and a squeeze of lemon combine in this incredibly flavorful Israeli Couscous dish.

Prep Time6

Cook Time12

Total Time18

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: servings

Author: Mary Younkin

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup pistachios
Optional: 1/8 cup barberries
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 large onion very thinly sliced
2 cups pearl couscous
1 cinnamon stick
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup Italian parsley
zest of 1 small lemon
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste

Instructions

Warm the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the pine nuts and pistachios to the skillet. Saute until toasted and fragrant. Remove from the skillet to a plate or small dish. Melt the butter in the skillet and then add the onion, couscous, and cinnamon stick. Cook, while stirring frequently, until browned.
Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the couscous is tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the barberries, raisins, toasted nuts, parsley, and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Taste and salt as needed. Enjoy!

Notes

Use caution when salting the final dish. Most store-bought chicken broth will provide enough salt that you won't need to add much salt at all. If you are using homemade chicken broth, be sure to use enough salt to bring out the flavors.

Barberries are a Middle Eastern dried fruit. They are very tart and you need to rehydrate them prior to adding them to the dish. They aren't required, but they do add a distinct flavor to the dish. It is definitely worth the effort of locating them if possible.

I'm linking to them here, but you can also find them at most markets that sell Middle Eastern foods. (If you are using barberries, place them in the bottom of a coffee mug or heatproof cup and cover with boiling hot water. Let them sit for 15 minutes and rinse the barberries before adding them to the dish.)

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