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Mint Pea Couscous

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Sarah Walker Caron
Updated Apr 25, 2017
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Israeli couscous is tossed with a minty-basil mix and sugar snap peas for a delicious, easy side dish.

More About This Recipe

  • Couscous! That’s what my kids yell when they see me preparing it. Whether it’s the small grains of couscous or bigger Israeli couscous, they adore the highly adaptable cousin of pasta. And when it’s a variety that is spiked and laced with veggies and herbs? All the better. My Mint Pea Couscous is a new favorite. It combines a pesto-like herb concoction that includes mint, basil, almonds, lemon zest, garlic and olive oil. The mint flavor is present, but it’s not overpowering (the basil helps a lot with the balancing of it). And then sweet sugar snap peas are mixed in as well, adding a touch or crunch and, of course, sweetness. What I love about couscous (and my kids love about it too!) is that it’s so easy to flavor. You can instantly bump up the favorite with mix-ins, but you can also give it a lot of flavor by cooking it in a good chicken stock or the like. Heck, you could probably even make drunken couscous by cooking it in red wine -- though I haven’t tried that yet. Serve couscous with chicken, fish, beef -- whatever. And it can be served hot or cold, making it great for picnics or packing lunches.

Mint Pea Couscous

  • Prep Time 10 min
  • Total 30 min
  • Servings 8
  • Ingredients 11
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/3 cup Israeli couscous
  • 1 3/4 cups hot water
  • 1/4 cup packed basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoon packed mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoon sliced almonds
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lemon, zest only
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 box (9 oz) frozen sugar snap peas, prepared according to package directions

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir the couscous into the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.
  • Step 
    2
    Pour the water into the saucepan slowly and stir well to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 12 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
  • Step 
    3
    Meanwhile, combine the basil, mint, almonds, olive oil, lemon zest and garlic in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Stir the mint mixture and the sugar snap peas into the couscous. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
  • Step 
    4
    Serve either hot or cold.

Nutrition

No nutrition information available for this recipe
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