Tossed with crispy roasted chickpeas and broccoli, this lemon couscous is bursting with fresh lemon flavor and an easy spring side dish that’s ready in only 35 minutes!
Easiest-ever spring side dish coming in hot! This lemony couscous belongs on literally every dinner table.
We’re keeping things so simple today and using just a few basic ingredients, but really letting them shine in all their glory. Hello, crispy chickpeas and tender roasted broccoli.
This is one of those side dishes that goes well with pretty much anything AND doubles as a pretty amazing vegetarian-friendly lunch.
No one’s stopping you from diving face-first into that pan and honestly, it’s completely understandable.
This Lemon Couscous features…
- Crispy roasted chickpeas and tender broccoli
- Perfectly lemon couscous with fresh parsley and toasted pine nuts
- 35 minutes to make and only a handful of ingredients needed
Making the Lemon Couscous
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Couscous
- Broccoli
- Chickpeas
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Parsley
- Pine nuts
Choosing Your Couscous
For this recipe you will need regular couscous which you’ll find next to the pasta in most grocery stores. You can also use pearl couscous, but be aware that the cook time will vary! We recommend following cooking instructions that are on the package.
Tips for Perfect Couscous
- Cook couscous in salted water – this helps flavor the couscous.
- Cut broccoli into uniform pieces – uniform 1-inch broccoli florets will roast up evenly.
- Roast broccoli and chickpeas at 400F – this high heat helps crisp up the chickpeas and slightly char the broccoli.
- Use fresh lemon and garlic – fresh makes a huge difference here!
- Toast pine nuts – if you decide to use pine nuts make sure you toast them! Toss pine nuts around in a skillet over medium heat until the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this recipe.
- Add cheese – feta, Parmesan, asiago, or goat cheese would all be amazing cheesy additions to this couscous.
- Try different veggies – try roasting sweet pepper, asparagus, mushrooms, or zucchini in place of the broccoli. Be aware, cook time may vary.
- Make it meaty – chicken sausage, or cooked shredded chicken would be great here!
- Use pasta or rice – you can easily swap out the couscous for pasta or rice. You will need about 3 cups of cooked pasta or rice.
Make Ahead Instructions
Follow these instructions for time-saving tips!
- Cook couscous – the couscous may be cooked and stored in refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Prep the broccoli – cut the broccoli and store in refrigerator up to 6 days.
Once assembled, leftovers of this couscous store great in the fridge up to 6 days and can be enjoyed either cold or reheated in the microwave.
This couscous is just the most DREAMY spring dish! The punchy fresh lemon paired with the roasted chickpeas + broccoli and the tender couscous is everything you want in a meal.
Bonus points if you go the extra mile and add the toasted pine nuts for some crunch! You just won spring.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Watch this couscous made step-by-step on Google web stories.
More lemon favorites to try next!
- Lemon Basil Pesto Spaghetti
- Roasted Broccoli Lemon Tortellini
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine
Lemon Couscous with Roasted Broccoli and Chickpeas
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Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup couscous
- 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1-in pieces
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
Instructions
- Pour water into a medium saucepan and lightly salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and add couscous. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and allow to cook 3-5 minutes until couscous is tender and water is evaporated. Remove couscous from heat, fluff with a fork, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a large sheet pan and toss broccoli florets, chickpeas, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on sheet pan.
- Roast broccoli and chickpeas at 400F 20-25 minutes until broccoli is tender and chickpeas are crispy. Remove from oven and set aside for a moment.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, couscous, and roasted broccoli/chickpeas mixture to skillet and cook until heated through. Season couscous with salt and pepper to taste and top with pine nuts if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
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