Curried Couscous
This Curried Couscous with Tofu is a 30-minute vegan entree I have been making for years and years. It is made with curried whole-wheat couscous, freshly roasted red pepper, peas and baked tofu.
I originally shared this recipe for Curried Couscous on March 11, 2014. I have updated the images and text to share it again with you today! The recipe remains deliciously unchanged!
Why We Love This Recipe For Curried Couscous
I have been making this curried couscous with roasted red peppers and peas for the last 25 plus years and it remains one of my favorite vegetarian dinner recipes.
It is basically a one-pot meal, which means it is so easy for a weeknight dinner. Plus the sweet peas, smoky roasted peppers and curry make it so yummy!
It really is a great recipe to have in your repertoire for any time of the year. It is always satisfying whether it is served hot or cold.
We eat it as a main course, though it is also great as a side dish or to bring to a potluck picnic or party. The curry goes really well with all sorts of dishes from Sauteed Kale with vinegar to cucumber salad.
Once you make this recipe once or twice, have fun experimenting with variations. Try different types of curry powder, swap in tempeh or cooked chicken for the tofu or skip the protein and serve it as a side dish. We almost always make it with roasted red peppers and peas. Sometimes I will add in raisins, currants or nuts.
Ingredients For This Recipe
- 1 red bell pepper: You can use any color bell pepper you like but I have traditionally used red. If you are in a rush, you can use 1 cup diced jarred and drained roasted red peppers instead.
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil: You can use olive oil instead if you prefer, but I love the way the coconut tastes with the curry powder.
- 2 cloves finely chopped garlic: This is the easiest way to make this recipe, but I have also used a diced onion and sauteed that before adding in the curry. Either works great!
- 2 teaspoons Curry powder or Garam Masala powder: The type of curry powder you choose will really change the nature of the recipe. I used Teeny Tiny Spice Co. British Curry. I also love to make it with Garam Masala or Tandori Masala too which are both sweet and spicy. Or you can choose a hotter Madras curry powder if you like spicy curry.
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth: Imagine “No Chicken” is my go-to brand of vegetarian broth or I make Vegetable Stock from scratch. If you eat poultry, you can use chicken broth instead.
- a 7.6-ounce box whole-wheat couscous: Traditional couscous in Northern Africa is made by steaming cracked wheat. Here in the US most couscous we buy is quick cooking or instant couscous made from pre-steamed and dried couscous. The boxes often say Moroccan Couscous or just couscous. Check the package instructions if you aren’t sure. It should only need to be mixed into the boiling water. Simmered for one minute and then sit for 5 minutes or so. If you can’t find whole-wheat couscous, regular fine couscous can be used instead.
- a 6 or 7-ounce package organic baked tofu: If you have never had baked tofu you are in for a treat! It is much more firm than extra-firm tofu. I like Wildwood Organic if you can find it. It is sold with other tofu products often in a refrigerated area in the produce section or near the dairy of large supermarkets and health food stores.
- ½ teaspoon salt: If you are salt sensitive you can omit this and use low-sodium broth.
- 1 cup frozen peas: The peas don’t even have to be thawed! Fresh peas can be substituted.
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish: This is just for looks more than anything but it also adds a fresh grassy flavor too.
Step By Step Instructions To Make This Curried Couscous Recipe
Step 1: Arrange oven rack in upper third of the oven and set to broil. Place pepper on a broiler pan and broil, turning occasionally until the skin is charred and blistered all over, 12-17 minutes.
Step 2: Place pepper in a bowl and cover with foil or a plate to allow the pepper to steam and cool, at least 10 minutes. Peel charred skin off pepper. Core, seed and chop pepper.
Step 3: Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and curry or garam masala and cook, stirring until fragrant 30 to 90 seconds. Add broth, cover and bring to a boil.
Step 4: Add couscous, tofu, peas and the roasted red pepper to the saucepan and return to a simmer. Cover and remove from the heat. Let sit 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Serve sprinkled with parsley if desired.
FAQs and Expert Tips
While many think of couscous as a type of whole grain and others as a pasta product, it is sort of neither! It is made from cracked semolina wheat, mixed with water, and rolled between the palms of your hands to form tiny grain-like beads. In North-Western African cultures, from where it hails, it is then steamed. Here in the United States we most often see couscous that is pre-steamed and then dried and sold in boxes as instant couscous. With this latter type of couscous, all that is left to be done is to reconstitute it in hot water (or broth) for about 5 minutes.
We do not recommend freezing tofu because it alters its texture. If you would like to freeze this dish, omit the tofu and stir it in when you reheat it.
Instead of tofu you can use another cooked protein such as cooked chicken or turkey. You can also omit the tofu altogether.
More Related Recipes To Try
- This Chicken, Chard and Curry recipe is a great way to use Swiss Chard and has a lovely coconut broth that is great served over rice or couscous.
- Instant pot lovers will enjoy this Instant Pot Veggie Curry recipe with delicata squash and coconut milk.
- This Chicken Coconut Curry Stew is one of our favorites in the wintertime and also has sweet peas and a touch of maple to balance the spice!
- If you like Lamb, this Moroccan Lamb Shank recipe is a slow cooker recipe for chilly fall and winter evenings. Or this recipe for Lamb Tagine with Millet and Prunes is a sweet and savory combo with delicious North African flavors.
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintCurried Couscous with Roasted Red Pepper, Peas and Tofu
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A favorite vegan entree that I have been making for years: curried couscous recipe with roasted red pepper, peas and baked organic tofu. Whole-grain
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoons Curry powder or Garam Masala
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth, such as Imagine No Chicken
- 1 7.6-ounce box whole-wheat couscous
- 1 6-ounce package organic baked tofu, diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup frozen peas
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Arrange oven rack in upper third of the oven and set to broil. Place pepper on a broiler pan and broil, turning occasionally until the skin is charred and blistered all over, 12-17 minutes.
- Place pepper in a bowl and cover with foil or a plate to allow the pepper to steam and cool, about 10 minutes. Peel charred skin off pepper. Core, seed and chop pepper.
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and curry or garam masala and cook, stirring until fragrant 30 to 90 seconds. Add broth, cover and bring to a boil.
- Add couscous, tofu, peas and the roasted red pepper to the saucepan and return to a simmer. Cover and remove from the heat. Let sit 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Serve sprinkled with parsley if desired.
Notes
Curry Powder
The type of curry powder you choose will really change the nature of the recipe. I used Teeny Tiny Spice Co. British Curry. I also love to make it with Garam Masala or Tandori Masala too which are both sweet and spicy. Or you can choose a hotter Madras curry powder if you like spicy curry.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove Top, broiler
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cup
- Calories: 306
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 20 g
Keywords: Vegetarian Couscous,curry couscous, couscous with tofu
Photography for this post was provided by Aysegul Sanford of Foolproof Living.
Thanks so much for your comment and rating Jean! I love the combination as well, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Love this! This could go with so many meals.
★★★★★
Thanks Donny! I love how versatile it is!
Such a delicious and flavorful couscous recipe! I’ve never tried couscous with curry flavor, and I loved this combo. Thank you!
★★★★★
Thanks so much for your comment and rating Jean! I love the combination as well, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This will definitely become a favorite but I think next time I will use a hotter curry as what I used was very mild. I like the idea of adding some pine nuts and maybe golden raisins too. Versatile and delicious, thanks!
I love all those ideas! Thank you for coming back by to leave a review.
I’d like to bake my own tofu for this recipe (as I’ve got some regular tofu I’d like to use up). Know of any decent baked tofu recipes?
I don’t really, sorry to say. There’s one in my cookbook, but I am not sure of one online. This one from the kitchn looks decent to me but I haven’t tried it myself. Let me know how it goes!
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find baked tofu at my local grocery. Ill just bake it myself. We have a weekly dinner and “Friends” night with our vegan friends and I can’t wait to make this tonight
Where do you find baked tofu? Is it a product sold I stores or do you bake your own? I LOVE tofu!!
Baked tofu is available pre-made and is available in the refrigerated section with other tofu.
Katie, I love this recipe. I’m not a fan of tofu … so I just roasted some cauliflower in the oven and used that instead … it was delicious !
Tonight I really wasn’t motivate to cook and I just decided to have pasta with pesto. Then I realized this recipe doesn’t take much longer than pesto and it way more delicious! Thanks for the quick, easy, yummy dinner 🙂
Katie,
The recipe calls for a 7.6 oz box of couscous, but I noticed that I bought a 17.6 oz box of couscous. Is your recipe correct or is there a typo? Just want to make sure before I start telling others about the recipe and/or try it myself. Looks delicious!
Thank you for checking Kira. It is hard to read the way the font is here, but I meant a 7.6 ounce box. The brand I used is Nile Spice. I checked their website, which is a little confusing to me, and I believe it is about 1 1/3 cup dry couscous. Or you can weigh yours out on a digital scale if you have one. Hope you enjoy it!
This looks amazing. Do you think quinoa would work with this recipe? I love couscous but I try to avoid it due to the gluten.
Thanks so much Jess. Yes and no. I think you’ll have to plan on using it as an inspiration and then changing the method due to the difference in ratios of liquid and cooking time. Use 2 parts broth to 1 part quinoa, simmer for 15 minutes (covered) and then stir the peas in at the end so they don’t overcook. That should work great. Let me know if you try it 🙂
Thanks, will do. 🙂
Katie, this sounds soooo good, and the photos (as always) are stunning! The lighting, the color–LOVE!
Aww thank you Ari! 🙂
What a simple and delightful recipe! I can’t wait to make this! It’s so special too..I’m sure there are so many memories associated with this dish. I shall def go for the hotter curry ;). I’m Korean and spicy food is my life hehe.
Yes go hot with this one. I love firey food too!
is it weird I’ve never eaten tofu? I’ve always avoided it at all costs, just one of those childish “I don’t like it even though I’ve never tried it” sort of thing, but this recipe is 100% making me think otherwise! it looks so so good 🙂
I say give it a try, and you can always leave it out if you aren’t sure still. I grew up eating it. My mom was a really adventurous cook, so it never occurred to me to dislike it.