This recipe explains everything you need to know about making Instant Pot couscous. You'll learn the best methods for cooking both Moroccan couscous (instant couscous) and Israeli (pearl) couscous.
You can turn couscous into a flavorful chilled salad or serve it warm with roasted vegetables, stew or almost any type of meat.
Let's start with this question: Is an Instant Pot actually the best way to cook couscous? The truth is that it depends on what type of couscous you are cooking.
This blog post (with recipes!) focuses on two types of couscous: Moroccan couscous (also sold as instant couscous) and Israeli couscous (also sold as pearl couscous).
Jump to:
Types of Couscous
The easiest way to tell these two types of couscous apart is size. Moroccan couscous is very tiny and Israeli couscous is larger and rounder.
Moroccan couscous. Traditional Moroccan couscous is steamed slowly in a steamer basket. However, in U.S. grocery stores most Moroccan couscous is actually instant couscous. It is "cooked" simply by reconstituting the couscous in boiling water.
Do not try to make instant couscous in your Instant Pot, it will just burn to the bottom. The only exception is layering instant couscous on top of cooked ingredients and liquid and letting it steam for "0" minutes.
Israeli couscous and pearl couscous. Israeli (also called pearl) couscous falls more directly into the pasta category. The name Israeli couscous and pearl couscous are often used interchangeably for the same product. In U.S. grocery stores you will see slight variations in size and shape. Some versions have a flatter shape and some are larger and perfectly round like a pearl.
Lebanese couscous or "Moghrabieh" is the largest type of pearl couscous.
What is Moroccan Couscous?
The size of Moroccan couscous is tiny, like grains of sand. The flavor is mild and nutty with a fluffy, slightly dry texture. This is often labeled as simply "couscous" on packages.
In most grocery stores in the United States, what looks like Moroccan couscous is actually instant couscous.
Instant Moroccan couscous, which is what you'll find in most U.S. grocery stores, doesn't actually need to be cooked. It only needs to be reconstituted in hot water for several minutes.
What is Israeli/Pearl Couscous?
Israeli couscous, originally called p’titim, falls more directly into the pasta category. This type of couscous is larger and rounder and more closely resembles pasta like orzo. It's also similar to the Sardininian pasta called fregula.
Israeli couscous is a food product that was created in the 1950s as an alternative to rice.
Israeli couscous is often called "pearl couscous" because of the shape. Some versions have a flatter shape and some are larger and perfectly round like a pearl.
Israeli/pearl couscous has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and a chewy texture similar to pasta. It can be made into cold salads or served as as warm side dish. It can also be added to soup or served with stew.
How to Cook Moroccan Couscous
True Moroccan couscous is cooked by steaming it, often over the top of stew, in a steamer dish called a couscousier. This type of Moroccan couscous can take 20 minutes or more to steam.
If you'd like a recipe that shows you how to steam traditional Moroccan couscous, check out this recipe for fluffy steamer couscous from Thematbakh.com.
However, most Moroccan couscous sold in U.S. grocery stores is actually instant couscous. It is "cooked" simply by pouring boiling water over the top and letting it reconstitute for several minutes until the water is absorbed and the couscous is fluffy.
Although you will see recipes for Instant Pot Moroccan couscous, I don't recommend cooking this type of couscous in your Instant Pot. More often than not, it will burn and stick to the bottom of the Instant Pot, even if it's cooked for "0" minutes.
The only exception is layering instant couscous on top of cooked ingredients and liquid and letting it steam for "0" minutes.
The best way to cook instant Moroccan couscous is to simply combine the couscous with boiling water.
The water ratio for instant Moroccan couscous is usually 1:1. For every 1 cup of instant couscous, use 1 cup of boiling water. Some brands recommend 1 ¼ cups water, so check the packaging.
The couscous has already been steamed and dried and does not need to be cooked or boiled. It just needs to be reconstituted with water.
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil (add ¼ teaspoon salt for more flavor)
- Adding a tablespoon of butter or oil to the water is optional.
- Turn off the heat and add 1 cup of instant couscous to the hot water.
- Stir with a fork, then put a lid on the pot.
- Let it set for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.
How to Cook Instant Pot Israeli (Pearl) Couscous
Israeli/pearl couscous can either be cooked on the stove top or in an Instant Pot.
On a stove top, pearl couscous can be cooked like pasta in a big pot of water. Just drain the pearl couscous when it's tender.
However, a pressure cooker is a quick and easy way to cook pearl couscous. Instant Pot pearl couscous absorbs all of the liquid that it's cooked it, giving the pearl couscous a slightly starchier, creamier texture. It can be served warm or it can be chilled and used for cold salads.
Instant Pot Pearl Couscous Water Ratio
After making many batches of Instant Pot pearl couscous, I have found that the best water ratio is 1 ½ cups water for every 1 cup of dried pearl couscous.
I like this ratio for several reasons:
- The pearl couscous doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- The pearls stay separate and don't clump together.
- The texture is tender but chewy, not mushy or hard.
Many recipes suggest using 1 ¼ cups water for every 1 cup of pearl couscous, and this works too. However, I find that my results are consistently better with a little more water.
Step 1: Combine 1 ½ cups water for every 1 cup of Israeli or pearl couscous in the Instant Pot. Add a pinch of salt if you want.
Step 2: Cook for 4 minutes, with a quick release. Use a fork to gently stir and fluff. You can serve the couscous warm or chill it in the refrigerator for a salad.
Cooking Time: I tested this recipe at 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes and 5 minutes and found that cooking Instant Pot pearl couscous for 4 minutes was the ideal cooking time. When cooked for 2 minutes the couscous was still slightly hard and undercooked. At 5 minutes, it was slightly too soft. That being said, the ideal cooking time can vary from brand to brand.
For detailed instructions and ingredients, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to Make Seasoned Pearl Couscous with Olive Oil & Garlic
Instead of plain pearl couscous, you can also try a couscous side dish that's lightly seasoned with onion and garlic plus a pinch of smoked paprika and cinnamon.
Ingredients: Israeli or pearl couscous, onion, garlic, oil, water, salt, smoked paprika and cinnamon.
Step 1: Saute onion and garlic.
Step 2: Add couscous and water.
Step 3: Add salt, smoked paprika and cinnamon. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, quick release.
For detailed instructions and ingredients amounts, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Pro Tip: To give pearl couscous a nuttier flavor, toast it in a dry pot or skillet for several minutes at the start of the recipe. When the color has darkened slightly, it is fully toasted.
How to Serve Couscous
Like any type of grain or pasta, couscous can be served as a side dish that complements a main course. It can also be turned into a dish all of its own.
Couscous soaks up sauces and stews really well. It can also be added to soup or turned into a salad.
Salad: Make a cold salad by tossing pearl couscous with crumbled cheese, cherry tomatoes, olives and fresh herbs. Looking for a Moroccan couscous salad recipe? Try couscous salad with sweet potato.
Stew: Spoon stew over both Moroccan and pearl couscous. It's great with Instant Pot beef stew or vegetable stew.
Mushrooms: Saute button mushrooms or make roasted oyster mushrooms and toss the mushrooms with warm pearl couscous.
Roasted or sautéd vegetables: Sauté or roast zucchini, bell peppers or other vegetables to serve with couscous.
Chicken: Serve both instant couscous or Israeli couscous with Mediterranean grilled chicken.
Pasta sauce: The texture of pearl couscous is very similar to the texture of small pasta like orzo. Pearl couscous can be served with marinara, pesto or just butter and cheese.
Butter: Melt butter over pearl couscous and serve it as a side dish with chicken or salmon.
Couscous FAQ
Couscous is made from wheat.
Couscous is hard to categorize. Unlike like barley or farro, which are cereal grains that are harvested from grass, couscous is man-made. Couscous is made by mixing water and a coarsely ground grain (usually milled durum wheat called semolina) and rolling it into small balls.
So even though couscous looks like rice or a small grain, it is considered a "grain product." Pearl couscous is often referred to as pasta because, like pasta, it is a product made from wheat and has a similar texture and flavor.
No. Couscous is made from wheat and is not gluten-free.
Lebanese or “Mograbieh” couscous looks similar to pearl couscous but is larger in size. Similar varieties include Moroccan mhamsa or Palestinian maftoul. It has a heartier flavor and texture and takes longer to cook. It is often served in stew or soup.
In U.S. grocery stores you can find whole wheat instant couscous and pearl couscous. It has a stronger, nuttier flavor and takes slightly longer to cook.
One cup of regular couscous makes about 3 cups of cooked couscous. One cup of pearl couscous makes about 2 cups of cooked pearl couscous.
Bulgur is also a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine. It is made from wheat kernels that have been steamed, dried and crushed. It has a tender, slightly chewy texture. The flavor is mild and slightly nutty. It is tiny and round, just like instant and Moroccan couscous.
Couscous is made from semolina wheat flour that is mixed with water and rolled into tiny balls. In this way, it is different from bulgur which comes from a whole kernel of wheat, not wheat that has been ground into flour.
Couscous originates from Middle Eastern and North African cuisines. It is thought to have originated in these cuisines during the 13th century or even earlier.
Israeli couscous was developed much later. It is a food product that was created in the 1950s as an alternative to rice.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Couscous
This is a recipe for Instant Pot Israeli (pearl) couscous. Pearl couscous has a round shape and is slightly smaller than a pea.
If you're cooking Moroccan couscous, which looks like tiny grains of sand, I don't recommend cooking it in your Instant Pot.
Most Moroccan couscous sold in U.S. grocery stores is actually instant couscous. It has been steamed and dried and does not need to be cooked or boiled. It just needs to be reconstituted with water. See the section "How to Cook Moroccan Couscous" in the blog post above for detailed cooking instructions.
Total Instant Pot Cooking Time for pearl couscous: 8 minutes to reach pressure + 4 minute cooking time + quick release
This recipe was updated on 11-9-23 to improve the cooking time and water ratio.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 4
- Total Time: 9 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: side dishes
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern and North African
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 cups Israeli (pearl) couscous
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine pearl couscous, water and salt in the Instant Pot.
- Cook for 4 minutes on high pressure.
- When the cooking time is complete, instantly release the pressure.
- Gently stir and fluff the couscous with a fork. If any water remains in the pot, set the lid loosely on top and let the couscous sit for another minute or two.
- The cooked couscous can be served warm or chilled in the refrigerator to make a cold salad.
Notes
After making many batches of Instant Pot pearl couscous, I have found that the best water ratio is 1 ½ cups water for every 1 cup of dried pearl couscous. I like this ratio for several reasons:
- The pearl couscous doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- The pearls stay separate and don't clump together.
- The texture is tender but chewy, not mushy or hard.
Many recipes suggest using 1 ¼ cups water for every 1 cup of pearl couscous, and this works too. However, I find that it makes the texture starchier and the pearls clump together more.
Cooking Time: I tested this recipe at 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes and 5 minutes and found that cooking Instant Pot pearl couscous for 4 minutes was the ideal cooking time. When cooked for 2 minutes the couscous was still slightly hard and undercooked. At 5 minutes, it was slightly too soft. That being said, the ideal cooking time can vary from brand to brand.
Recipe for Pearl Couscous Seasoned with Spices
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
⅓ cup finely chopped onion or shallot
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 cups water
2 cups pearl couscous
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- Press the saute button and add the oil or butter.
- Add the onion. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.
- Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds more.
- Add the water, pearl couscous, salt, smoked paprika and cinnamon.
- Secure the lid and cook for 4 minutes on high pressure. When the cooking time is complete, do a quick release of the pressure.
- Stir the couscous then put the lid back on the pot for 5 minutes so that couscous completely absorbs any remaining liquid.
- Serve warm. You can add fresh herbs like dill and parsley, if desired.
This recipe was tested in a 6-quart Instant Pot
Jenny
Great advice and instructions for cooking couscous. The combination of smoked paprika and cinnamon are really delicious with pearl couscous!