Cooking up in 40 minutes, this creamy coconut couscous with golden roasted cauliflower and chickpeas is a flavorful vegan dinner option. It’s made with simple ingredients, like pearl couscous, vegetable stock, canned coconut milk, cauliflower, cilantro, lime, red onion, canned chickpeas, and pantry spices. You only need one pot on the stove and a baking sheet. Filled with richness and vibrant spices, lots of veg, and chickpeas for plant-based protein, this easy recipe is bound to work its way into your dinner rotation.
I’m thrilled to share this mostly one-pot meal, inspired by the flavors of coconut milk curries that are popular in Southeast Asian cuisine. I love the bouncy texture of quick-cooking pearl couscous, which is made from a mixture of wheat flour and water. It pairs so well with our homemade spice blend, garlic, coconut milk, and lime. You wind up with a lsightly saucy and lush texture–the perfect landing spot for some caramelized roasted cauliflower.
I have you make up a spice blend before you even begin cooking. It’s a 10-spice blend with some of our favourites like cumin, coriander, sumac, turmeric, garlic powder, cinnamon, and more. Half goes on the cauliflower before it roasts in the oven. I use the other half in the aromatic base for the couscous. You get a lovely golden colour from the turmeric and just a really robust flavor overall.
The couscous bubbles away on the stove in vegetable stock before a big, luscious pour of coconut milk finishes it off. A generous squeeze of fresh juice livens everything up. I do like to serve this dish with more lime wedges on the side.
Substitutions & Additions:
- Orzo can sub in for pearl couscous here without any changes to the recipe. Delallo makes an excellent gluten-free orzo for those that are allergic to gluten.
- If you want to up the veggies, I recommend adding 2 cups of baby spinach at the end of the simmering time.
- I like a drizzle of chili oil or some chili crisp on top of mine as well.
Fans of this recipe will no doubt love my Spice-Roasted Cauliflower with Coconut Tomato Sauce with Lentils. There’s just something about coconut and cauliflower together! Also, my Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Stew with Lentils & Kale is another winner with a similar flavor profile.
Creamy Coconut Couscous with Golden Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpeas
Lush and flavorful coconut pearl couscous with golden roasted cauliflower and chickpeas is an extra hearty vegan dinner that cooks up in 40 minutes.
Servings 4
Ingredients
Spice Blend
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel seed
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sumac
Cauliflower & Coconut Couscous
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 7 cups florets total)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- spice blend, see above, divided
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 small red onion, small dice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ¼ cups pearl couscous
- 1 ½ cups cooked/canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 ¼ cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus extra
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Notes
- This recipe is inspired by coconut milk curries popular in Southeast Asian cuisines.
- Orzo can sub in for pearl couscous here without any changes to the recipe. Delallo makes an excellent gluten-free orzo for those that are allergic to gluten.
- If you want to up the veggies, I recommend adding a couple handfuls of baby spinach at the end of the simmering time.
- I like a drizzle of chili oil or some chili crisp on top of mine as well.
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Set out a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper if you like.
-
Make the spice blend. In a small bowl, combine the ground cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, ground fennel, ground ginger, cinnamon, and sumac. Stir to combine and set aside.
-
Place all of the cauliflower florets on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, half of the spice blend, and some salt and pepper. Toss to coat the florets in the oil in spices. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer and slide the baking sheet into the oven. Roast the cauliflower until deeply caramelized, about 35-40 minutes, flipping and tossing the florets at the halfway point.
-
While cauliflower is roasting, make the coconut couscous. Set a braiser-style pot or deep skillet over medium heat on the stove. Once hot, pour in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic and remaining spice blend and continue to sauté for another minute.
-
Add the pearl couscous and toast it in the spices for about a minute. Then, add the chickpeas and vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is soft, about 8-10 minutes. Stir the mixture frequently to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pot.
-
Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice. Give the couscous a taste to check for seasoning and adjust if necessary (more salt, lime etc). Keep simmering so that the mixture thickens up. Top the coconut couscous with the golden roasted cauliflower and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Paralympics
