Jeweled Couscous Recipe with Pomegranate and Lentils
Easy, flavor-packed jeweled couscous recipe with pomegranate, lentils, mushrooms, nuts and raisins! A gorgeous little Mediterranean feast in one dish!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cup puy lentils
- Water
- Salt
- 1 2/3 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cups instant couscous like this one
- 1/2 tsp turmeric spice
- Olive oil
- 8 oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (I used baby bella mushrooms, but white button mushrooms would work)
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground green cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, stems removed, chopped
- 1 bunch fresh mint (about 30 mint leaves), stems removed, chopped
- 5-6 scallions, tops trimmed, chopped (both white and green parts)
- Seeds (arils) of 1 large pomegranate, more for garnish
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted, chopped (figs or dried apricots would work here as well)
- 1 cup gold raisins
- 1/2 cup EACH shelled chopped pistachios, chopped walnuts, toasted pine nuts, more for
- garnish
Instructions
- 1
Wash the lentils under cold running water. Drain.
- 2
Place the lentils in a saucepan and add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils cook through (they should absorb all the water). Add a pinch of salt and remove from heat.
- 3
While the lentils are cooking, make the couscous. In a saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Remove from heat then stir in couscous, turmeric, pinch of salt, 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Cover and let sit 5 minutes to finish cooking. Fluff with a fork and give it a try. If needed, stir in just a little more boiled vegetable broth.
- 4
In a large cast iron skillet like this one, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the mushrooms. Cook for 4 minutes on high, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to gain color. Reduce heat to medium-high, and stir the onions and garlic and cook a couple more minutes.
- 5
In the same skillet, add in the cooked lentils and couscous. Add salt, cinnamon, paprika, cardamom, coriander, and black pepper. Mix the pomegranate molasses and lemon juice with 1 tbsp olive oil, and add the liquid to the skillet with the couscous and lentil mixture. Toss to combine. Cook on medium, stirring regularly until warmed through.
- 6
Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. You can transfer to a larger mixing bowl, and using a large wooden spoon, mix to combine. Transfer the couscous to a serving platter and garnish with more pomegranate seeds and nuts.