Israeli Couscous: What Is It and How Do I Cook It?

Top: uncooked Israeli Couscous - Bottom: Cooked Israeli Couscous 

Israeli Couscous, also known as pearl couscous, is like regular couscous but on steroids.  Uncooked and poured out onto a plate, this kind of couscous resembles a pile of white peppercorns. Traditional couscous look like large grains of sand.  Bob’s Red Mills describes Israeli Couscous, which the company markets as Traditional Pearl Couscous, as “essentially small ball-shaped pasta.” 

Cooking it is simple.  Add 1 cup Israeli Couscous to a pot, pour 1 1/4 cups boiling water on top, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes.  Drain and serve.  That’s faster than cooking rice or potatoes. 

Hot Israeli Couscous works as a side dish on its own or added to soup or stir-fried vegetables.  Cold Israeli Couscous is a good addition to salads.  This couscous is very bland.  To add more flavor, cook and then briefly pan-fry in butter or olive oil, along with some garlic and chopped onion.  Or serve it with a a dish that has lots of sauce.

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