Harissa Couscous with Eggplant and Chickpeas
A healthy one-pot plant-based dinner with 11 g of protein and 8 g of fiber per serving! Harissa couscous with eggplant and chickpeas. Perfect for busy weeknights.
One pot perfection: a hearty stew filled with eggplant, chickpeas, and couscous.
Similar to my roasted ratatouille with polenta recipe, it’s the kind of meal that I want this time of year– packed with summer produce, yet cozy enough for the beginning of fall.
This harissa couscous stew is similar to my Moroccan lentil and chickpea stew and harissa chickpea soup. It’s slightly spicy, packed with plant-based protein and fiber, and hearty enough to enjoy for lunch or dinner.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
- Eggplant: I use a globe, Italian eggplant for this harissa couscous, but you can use Japanese eggplant or even fairy tale eggplant if that’s all you have.
- Ripe Tomatoes: I’m using ripe tomatoes as that is what is growing in my garden right now, alongside my eggplant! You can use canned, diced tomatoes if you plan on making these when fresh tomatoes aren’t in season.
- Pearl Couscous: Also known as Israeli couscous, you can usually find this in the grain section of the grocery store. Regular couscous will work in a pinch, but pearl is my preference here for texture.
- Harissa Paste: You can find harissa paste in the International aisle of many grocery stores or in the condiment aisle. I grabbed mine at Trader Joe’s! A little goes a long way, so I recommend adding, tasting, and then adding again , depending on spice preference.
- Chickpeas: I added chickpeas for both protein and fiber, make sure to drain them before adding
- Honey: The honey helps to balance the spiciness of the harissa paste– I don’t recommend skipping it. If you prefer not to use honey, maple syrup is also a suitable alternative.
- Olive Oil: I finish this harissa couscous off with a drizzle of good olive oil and fresh chopped cilantro. The quality of the olive oil really does make a difference, so I recommend tasting your olive oil to make sure you like it. This recipe was tested with the following brands: Kosterina, Zoe, California Olive Ranch Miller’s Blend, and Laconiko (personal favorite).
How to Make Harissa Couscous (Step-by-Step Photos)
Step 1: Brown the Eggplant
Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is browned and golden, about 6-8 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the eggplant has reduced, the liquid has released from the eggplant, and it starts to look golden brown on all sides.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes
Add the paprika, cumin, and cinnamon, and cook for 30 seconds or so until just fragrant. Add in the tomatoes and the harissa paste, taking care to fold the paste around the eggplant to coat it. Cook the mixture until the tomatoes start to release their liquid and reduce, stirring often to prevent browning.
Step 3: Add the Chickpeas
Add the chickpeas, couscous, broth, honey, lemon zest, and juice, and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture has thickened and the couscous is cooked through.
You can add more liquid, depending on how thick you want the stew to be. I like this hearty dish, similar to a one-pot casserole, but you can thin the mixture more to create a more brothy meal. If you do it this way, then I recommend serving with crusty bread to help soak up the juices!
Serving Suggestions
To finish this harissa couscous recipe, I like to drizzle on some some good-quality olive oil on top, then garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro (or parsley). Either works!
I served it to friends this way a few weeks ago, and they all raved about how restaurant-quality the meal felt, especially with the olive oil garnish on top.
As I’m always trying to get in more greens, I like to serve this alongside a salad, like my easy kale salad, but it’s also fantastic as-is. If you plan on adding more broth to make this couscous more soup-like, then I recommend serving it with good garlic bread, like I do with my puttanesca beans and marry me chickpeas.
Chef Tips for Success
- Brown the Eggplant: Make sure to brown the eggplant first, before adding in the spices and tomatoes. This helps to build flavor and texture.
- Bloom the Spices: Add the spices to the eggplant and let it cook for 30 seconds or so. Cooking them in the oil helps them to become more fragrant before adding the tomatoes!
- Adjust the Broth: You may need to adjust the broth as needed to achieve the desired consistency. I prefer this harissa couscous to be more thick and stew-like, but if you want it more brothy, then you’ll need to add more broth.
- Add Harissa to Taste: Harissa is fairly spicy, so add according to taste. You may want to add more or less, depending on your preferred spice level.
More One-Pot Recipes
- Vegan Pumpkin Chili
- One Pot Vegetable Pasta
- Vegan Chili Mac
- Pesto Orzo with White Beans
- Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup
- One Pot Pasta Puttanesca
- Vegan Paella
If you try this Harissa Couscous, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Harissa Couscous with Eggplant and Chickpeas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups pearl couscous
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2-3 tablespoons harissa paste
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 lemon zested, with 1 tablespoon juice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- Salt/freshly ground pepper
- Good quality olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil until shimmering, then add the eggplant cubes and cook, stirring occassionally, until lightly browned on most sides, about 6-8 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
- Add the garlic, paprika, cumin and cinnamon. Cook for 30-60 seconds or so until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. Stir in the tomatoes and harissa paste, coating the eggplant.
- Add the chickpeas, couscous, broth, honey, lemon zest and juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 12-14 minutes, stirring once or twice until couscous is tender, adding more broth depending on preferred consistency. I like this thicker, like a one-pot meal, but it's also great as a stew!
- Taste, adjust seasoning depending on preference– adding more honey, salt, pepper, harissa, or lemon juice. Depending on the saltiness of your broth, you may need to add more salt.
- Divide into bowls, then drizzle with olive oil and garnish with cilantro.
My new favorite Plant-Based Dinner!