Couscous with broccoli, peas, mushrooms and tomato {vegan}

My friend Jennifer, who used to take cooking classes from me, never cooked the same dish twice, and I always thought that was a little bit nuts. After all, how do you get good at something if you don't make it more than once? Food blogging gives you the opportunity to keep trying new things, but when you've been at it as long as I have, it also gives you the push to revisit some recipes and tweak them to perfection. This vegan couscous with broccoli, peas, mushrooms and tomato was ripe for an update. My supermarket now carries "rainbow" Israeli couscous, with vegetable-tinted grains of orange and green; I've finally discovered a store-bought vegetable broth I really like; and I love the addition of peas. For non-vegans, add some poached shrimp, chunks of feta cheese, or shredded rotisserie chicken. The dish tastes best at room temperature, which makes it perfect for a picnic.

Couscous with broccoli, peas, mushrooms and tomato

From the pantry, you'll need: vegetable broth, olive oil, onion, fresh oregano, fresh thyme, hot sauce.

Serves 6-8; can be doubled.

Ingredients

4 cups liquid (half vegetable broth and half water, or all broth or all water; I like Pacific Organic vegetable broth)
2 cups Israeli couscous (or substitute fregula sarda or small pasta)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced onion
1-1/2 cups fresh chopped tomato, seeds removed
1 small green pepper, chopped or sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup sliced zucchini
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
2 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste

Directions

In a 4-quart stockpot, bring broth and water to a boil. Add couscous, reduce heat to simmer, and cook, covered, for 10-12 minutes until couscous is tender. In a colander, rinse the couscous under cold water, drain well, and set aside to cool.

While the couscous is cooling, heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat; add celery and onion, and cook 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, and cook 5-10 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes just start to collapse. If the mixture is too thick, add more broth or water, 1/4 cup at a time.

Combine couscous into the sauté pan, toss well, and place in a large bowl.

Serve at room temperature.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More reasons to keep Israeli couscous in your pantry:
Couscous salad with chopped vegetables, basil, parsley, and pomegranate vinaigrette
Shrimp, couscous, feta and herb salad with tomato vinaigrette
Greek shrimp, feta, lemon and basil couscous
Couscous with orange and dried fruit

Other couscous and vegetable recipes:
Roasted vegetable Israeli couscous, from For the Love of Cooking
Spiced Israeli couscous with grilled vegetables, chickpeas and cilantro, from Three Many Cooks
Israeli couscous with pesto and spring vegetables, from The Vintage Mixer
Chicken and Israeli couscous with tomato and lemon, from The Bitten Word
Mediterranean chopped salad with Israeli couscous, from Foxes Love Lemons

Need more creative ideas for using tomatoes all year round? Get 25 Tomatoes, my e-book packed with fantastic recipes, full-color photos and a fun video tutorial. With the FREE Kindle Reading app, delicious tomato recipes will always be just one click away on any computer, tablet or smart phone. Click here to learn more.

Couscous with broccoli, peas, mushrooms and tomato

From the pantry, you'll need: vegetable broth, olive oil, onion, fresh oregano, fresh thyme, hot sauce.

Serves 6-8; can be doubled.

Ingredients

4 cups liquid (half vegetable broth and half water, or all broth or all water; I like Pacific Organic vegetable broth)
2 cups Israeli couscous (or substitute fregula sarda or small pasta)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced onion
1-1/2 cups fresh chopped tomato, seeds removed
1 small green pepper, chopped or sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup sliced zucchini
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
2 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste

Directions

In a 4-quart stockpot, bring broth and water to a boil. Add couscous, reduce heat to simmer, and cook, covered, for 10-12 minutes until couscous is tender. In a colander, rinse the couscous under cold water, drain well, and set aside to cool.

While the couscous is cooling, heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat; add celery and onion, and cook 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, and cook 5-10 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes just start to collapse. If the mixture is too thick, add more broth or water, 1/4 cup at a time.

Combine couscous into the sauté pan, toss well, and place in a large bowl.

Serve at room temperature.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More reasons to keep Israeli couscous in your pantry:
Couscous salad with chopped vegetables, basil, parsley, and pomegranate vinaigrette
Shrimp, couscous, feta and herb salad with tomato vinaigrette
Greek shrimp, feta, lemon and basil couscous
Couscous with orange and dried fruit

Other couscous and vegetable recipes:
Roasted vegetable Israeli couscous, from For the Love of Cooking
Spiced Israeli couscous with grilled vegetables, chickpeas and cilantro, from Three Many Cooks
Israeli couscous with pesto and spring vegetables, from The Vintage Mixer
Chicken and Israeli couscous with tomato and lemon, from The Bitten Word
Mediterranean chopped salad with Israeli couscous, from Foxes Love Lemons

Need more creative ideas for using tomatoes all year round? Get 25 Tomatoes, my e-book packed with fantastic recipes, full-color photos and a fun video tutorial. With the FREE Kindle Reading app, delicious tomato recipes will always be just one click away on any computer, tablet or smart phone. Click here to learn more.

Comments

Love the idea of "rainbow" couscous, and why not tinker with a recipe when you can? The kitchen is all about adventure!

I love the sound of the rainbow couscous; going to look for that here. And also that brand of vegetable broth. Sounds delicious with some Feta!

TW, I need to tinker more often. It's so much fun!

Kalyn, the rainbow couscous is in my regular grocery store now. Add feta, or cold shrimp, or both; this is a very accommodating dish.

This looks delicious - and beautiful! Perfect for me right now, with one of my vegetarian sons home for the summer. - I can even serve it with a protein on the side.

I love to return to recipes and experiment, fine-tune, and make them my own.

Judy, you can adapt this recipe to any vegetables you have on hand. Have fun with it!

I'm making this now. You forgot the mushrooms! Please add them.

Laurie, you're right, and I did. One cup of chopped mushrooms.

Love how pretty this couscous is - I'm always tweaking recipes - I don't think anything ever comes out exactly the same when I make it.

What beans would you recommend to add to this if need be.

Terri, add your favorites! Chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, anything you like.