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What is Tunisian Lamb Couscous?
Tunisian couscous is deeply rooted in the country’s culinary heritage. The couscous is paired with lamb meat and an assortment of vegetables like zucchini, carrots, butternut squash and potatoes. It is drenched in a tomato based sauce that is filled with flavor.
The first encounter with Tunisian cuisine happened during my stay in Marseille, France. I was looking for a fellow traveler willing to explore Tunisian food with me. Fortunately, I found a companion, and it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and budget-friendly meals during my time in France. Marseille boasts a sizable North African population, ensuring an abundance of delectable Tunisian and Moroccan dishes. During my adventure, I opted for fish couscous, a dish I had been wanting to try for a while. Meanwhile, my new friend chose lamb couscous, and it proved to be equally delicious. The vibrant flavors of Tunisian cuisine was a highlight of my food experiences in Marseille.
I have such a deep love for Tunisian cuisine that during my visit to Nice, I sought out another fellow traveler to share a dinner experience. When asked about where I wanted to eat, I enthusiastically suggested Tunisian. We discovered a local Tunisian restaurant, where the owners graciously hooked us up with their best dishes. The hospitality was exceptional, and the spread was generous. Despite the abundance of food, I savored every bite and managed to finish the entire plate on my own. My friend also pressured me to finish my plate twice the size of my head because the owners cooked a special meal just for us. I will never forget that night!
Tunisian Couscous vs Moroccan Couscous
Many North African nations make couscous in their own preferred way. Kickin’ it with Sal did a Food Feuds video comparing Moroccan Couscous to Tunisian couscous. Check out the video to see who did it better!
Food Feuds is a series where we rate similar dishes from different countries to figure out who makes it better. Many North African nations make couscous in their own preferred way. Kickin’ it with Sal did a Food Feuds review comparing Tunisian Couscous to Moroccan Couscous. If you are trying to decide whether to make the Tunisian Couscous recipe or the Moroccan couscous recipe, this review may help you narrow down your options by giving you detailed reviews and a sensory analysis on each of the dishes!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of couscous
- 4 Lamb Shanks
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 3 green chili pepper
- 1 tablespoon of Harissa
- 15oz can of chickpeas
- 2 zucchinis cut in strips and peeled
- 3 carrots halved and peeled
- 2 Potato cut in strips and peeled
- 4 quarters of peeled butternut squash
- 4 tablespoons of canola oil
- 1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon of pepper
- 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon of ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 5 cups of boiled water
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add green chili peppers. Toast them up slightly and remove from pot.
- Add tomatoes, onions and tomato paste and cook for 5-6 mins on medium-high heat
- Add lamb shanks to pot and stir it in with the mixture for 5 minutes until browned. Then add the salt to taste.
- Add pepper, ginger, coriander, paprika and turmeric to the lamb.
- Add salt to taste, zucchini, butternut squash, potatoes, and carrots.Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add 5 cups of boiling water or until all the meat and veggies are covered with water.
- Let it simmer for 30 min or until all veggies are soft.
- Add the chickpeas to the pot and let it simmer for another 15 minutes
- For the couscous, add couscous to a bowl or you can use the tajine. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of water. Mix it with your hands.
- In a saucepan, add 3 cups of broth from the meat/veggie mixture. Bring to a boil and add salt if needed.
- Add couscous mixture into the broth/saucepan and turn off the heat. Let it sit in there for 15 mins and then transfer onto the tagine. Fluff the couscous with a fork.
- Arrange the meat and veggies on top of the couscous. Make sure all the veggies are evenly placed. Add 2 laddles of broth on the couscous as well. Enjoy!
Tunisian Lamb Couscous
Ingredients
- 3 cups Couscous
- 4 Lamb Shanks
- 1 Onion diced
- 2 Tomatoes diced
- 3 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 3 Green Chili Peppers
- 15 oz Can of chickpeas
- 2 Zucchinis Peeled and cut in thick strips
- 3 Carrots Halved and peeled
- 2 Potatoes Peeled and cut in thick strips
- 4 quarters of Butternut Squash Peeled and cut in thick chunks
- 1 tbsp Harissa
- 1 tbsp Ground Tumeric
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 1 tbsp Ground ginger
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tbsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 4 tbsp Canola oil
- 5 cups Boiled Water
- Extra salt and pepper to taste if needed
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add green chili peppers. Toast them up slightly and remove from pot.
- Add tomatoes, onions and tomato paste and cook for 5-6 mins on medium-high heat
- Add lamb shanks to pot and stir it in with the mixture for 5 minutes until browned. Then add the salt to taste.
- Add pepper, ginger, coriander, paprika and turmeric to the lamb.
- Add salt to taste, zucchini, butternut squash, potatoes, and carrots. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add 5 cups of boiling water or until all the meat and veggies are covered with water.
- Let it simmer for 30 min or until all veggies are soft.
- Add the chickpeas to the pot and let it simmer for another 15 minutes
- For the couscous, add couscous to a bowl or you can use the tajine. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of water. Mix it with your hands.
- In a saucepan, add 3 cups of broth from the meat/veggie mixture. Bring to a boil and add salt if needed.
- Add couscous mixture into the broth/saucepan and turn off the heat. Let it sit in there for 15 mins and then transfer onto the tagine. Fluff the couscous with a fork.
- Arrange the meat and veggies on top of the couscous. Make sure all the veggies are evenly placed. Add 2 laddles of broth on the couscous as well. Enjoy!
