Skip to main content
Epicurious

Speedy Chickpea Couscous with Pesto

A double boost of basil, from the pesto and the fresh leaves, gives this whole wheat couscous a flavor lift. It's perfect for busy weeknights when you are starving for quick and easy carbs. Home-cooked chickpeas taste best, but canned chickpeas work fine when you're in a rush. And pesto from a jar is a perfectly good replacement for homemade. Serve next to sautéed fish or chicken.

Cooks' Note

To vary it: Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped toasted pistachios; or make it a light meal with crumbled ricotta salata, goat cheese, or feta cheese and a few olives.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 cup whole wheat couscous
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained (about half of a 14-ounce can)
3 tablespoons pesto
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    1 Pour the broth into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the couscous, chickpeas, pesto, 2 tablespoons of the basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and let sit until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

    Step 2

    2 Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Fluff with two forks, sprinkle with the remaining 2 table-spoons basil, and serve right away.

Reprinted with permission from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals: Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries & More by Maria Speck. Text copyright © 2011 by Maria Speck; photographs copyright © 2011 by Sara Remington. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. Maria Speck grew up in Greece and Germany before moving to the United States as a young adult. She is a writer and journalist, and has contributed to Gourmet, Saveur, and Gastronomica, as well as Marie Claire and Elle. Her popular cooking classes in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focus on the flavors and cooking styles of the Mediterranean and on creating innovative and delicious meals with whole grains.
TagsCouscousPastaChickpeaBean and LegumeVegetableSideDinnerVegetarianQuickEasyWeeknight MealsCookbooks
Read More
Mango Sticky Rice
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
Easy Egg Custard
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
Simple Hot Cocoa for One
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
Béchamel Sauce
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Chicken Meatballs With Sesame Green Beans
Baking meatballs and green beans on two sides of the same sheet pan streamlines the cooking process for this saucy, savory dinner.
Dulce de Leche
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Sun Gold Tomato Pasta With Pistachio Gremolata
A garlicky pistachio topping takes this sunny summer pasta from good to great.