Name: Simple Onion Couscous
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cup water; 1 cup couscous; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon canola oil ((or olive, sunflower, rapeseed oil)); 2 yellow onions; 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)

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This Simple Onion Couscous is the perfect side dish to bring to BBQs and potlucks! Everyone will love it! And it takes only a few minutes to make.

This simple Onion Couscous is my favorite side dish to bring to BBQs and potlucks! Thanks to the onion and parsley it is super flavorful and goes great with veggie sausages & patties, burgers, grilled veggies, and literally anything you can throw on a grill. Whenever we are having a BBQ I bring this dish and everyone loved it so far! It’s delicious either warm or cold.

You can make this dish in only a couple of minutes – so it’s the ideal choice if there is a spontaneous BBQ coming up and you’re still undecided about what to bring.

You’ll only need a couple of basic ingredients: Couscous, onions, parsley, and lemon juice! I usually have these ingredients at home all the time so I always have something to bring when I’m going grilling with friends.

It’s also a neat side dish for the summer – add some fresh roasted veggies, avocado, tofu, or tempeh to it and you’ll have a quick and easy lunch! It’s a great base for all kinds of summer-y bowls.

How to make this Simple Onion Couscous

As always, you will find the whole recipe in the box below but I want to give you an overview of the ingredients and basic steps first.

The ingredients & possible substitutions

You will need:

couscous
lemon juice (or lime juice)
onions
fresh parsley (you can also add cilantro if you want to pursue a different flavor direction)
oil & salt

The basic steps

couscous in water — Step 1: Bring the water, salt, and lemon juice to a boil. Add in the couscous. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the lid on top. Let it soak for 5 minutes.

couscous in pot — Step 1: Bring the water, salt, and lemon juice to a boil. Add in the couscous. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the lid on top. Let it soak for 5 minutes.

onions in pan — Step 2: Cook the sliced onions until soft and slightly brown and caramelized.

caramelized onions — Step 2: Cook the sliced onions until soft and slightly brown and caramelized.

couscous with parsley and onions — Step 3: Add onion and parsley to the couscous. Mix it all together.

Serve it with…

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I hope you will enjoy this couscous with caramelized onions and parsley as much as I do! Let me know if you give it a try!

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Cheers, Bianca

Simple Onion Couscous

Elephantastic Vegan

This Simple Onion Couscous is the perfect side dish to bring to BBQs and potlucks! Everyone will love it! And it takes only a few minutes to make.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean, Vegan

Servings people

Calories 197 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

In a large pot, add the water, lemon juice, and salt. Bring it to a boil.
Take the pot off the stovetop and add the couscous and put the lid back on. Let it soak for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel the onions, cut them in half, and slice them into half-rings. Chop the parsley.
Heat a large pan with the canola oil and place the onion rings in there. Cook them on medium-high heat while stirring constantly, and keep them on the heat until they're soft and get a nice golden color.
To the couscous, add the onions and chopped parsley. Give it a good mix. Serve either warm or cold!

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 596mgPotassium: 198mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 633IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg

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Shelby

Thursday 13th of May 2021

My friend just made this for me (I'm vegan, she's not) and it was DELICIOUS! I think I'll add some tofu to it when I make it!

Lucie Javorska

Tuesday 28th of July 2015

My kind of recipe! Simple, healthy and beautiful :)

Bianca

So glad you like it Lucie! It's always a huge hit at BBQs. Goes so well with all the other usual bbq ingredients :)

Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen

Simple yet exotic couscous! Addition of soya sauce sounds delish! :)

Thanks Anu! I love to have a few basics for dishes. With grilled veggies and tofu/tempeh or seitan you can easily convert it into a full meal. So quick!

Natalie | Feasting on Fruit

Monday 27th of July 2015

Yum! I want to bring this to my potluck of one...a.k.a lunch ;) haha Couscous is so yummy, I love the texture I think it's my favorite form of 'pasta' if you can call it that! Such simple flavors but it sounds delish!

hahaaha :D potluck of one! love it! also I've never thought of couscous as a form of pasta but you're so right! I always put couscous in the group of rice and quinoa but it fits much better to the pasta. Somehow I always end up making couscous when it's hot and "traditional" pasta when it's cold :D so weird!

Sina

Saturday 25th of July 2015

This sounds like the perfect side dish! :-) I just love couscous for quick dinners and of course also for salads.

Sunday 26th of July 2015

Yes, this couscous really is the ideal side dish. It goes with so many things and it also makes a great main dish together with fresh veggies & tempeh/tofu/seitan. :)