The couscous cooks in milk rather than water, which gives it a creaminess that makes the transition from savory grain to breakfast bowl feel natural. The nuts are roughly chopped and mixed in along with the seeds and dried cranberries, each one adding something different. From the crunch of the pepitas to the richness of the pecans, from the green nuttiness of the pistachios to the chewy deep red sweetness of the cranberries. Salt goes in too, which is the detail that ties everything together.
This is a two-serving breakfast that comes together in about ten minutes and keeps you going well into the morning. Once you have tried couscous this way, it earns a regular spot in the breakfast rotation. Couscous brings a lighter texture than oatmeal but will also act as a blank canvas for add-ins.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Couscous
- Milk – only water can be used or a 50:50 mixture. Fruit juice is also be an alternative.
- Flaxseed – nutritional powerhouses (they are high in omega-3 fats, fiber, and other unique plant compounds).
- Pepitas
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
- Dried cranberries
This quick video below gives you a visual guide to the recipe, from beginning to finished dish.
How to Make Breakfast Couscous
Step 1 – In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Add the couscous, stir once and remove the pan from the heat. Allow the couscous to absorb the milk.
Step 2 – While the couscous is soaking up the milk, chop all the nuts (pecans, walnuts and pistachios). You can do this any way you like, coarsely, finely or a combination.
Step 3 – Transfer all ingredients (chopped nuts, cranberries, flaxseed, pepitas and salt) to the couscous and mix.
- Divide over 2 bowls; you can serve this cold and/or warm.
Alternative and Substitutes
- Instead of milk, you can use water, or a mix of water and milk. The less milk the lower the protein content will be.
- The mix of nuts can be changed to anything you like, think about almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts or peanuts.
- Instead of adding the dried cranberries at the end, you can add them to the milk, together with the couscous. This way the fruit will absorb some of the milk and will become juicy (if that’s the right word to use), instead of being chewy when added at the end.
- If you want more protein in your breakfast, think about adding some cottage cheese, yogurt or chickpeas.
- This couscous can also be served as a side dish or even a grain salad.
Breakfast Couscous
Pin Recipe Facebook Share by TextIngredients
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon pepitas
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon pecans, chopped
- 1 tablespoon walnuts, chopped
- 1 tablespoon pistachios, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan bring milk to a boil. (NOTE 1)
- Add couscous and stir once.
- Remove saucepan from heat, cover and allow couscous to absorb liquids (5-10 minutes)
- Chop the nuts (pecans, walnuts, pistachios).
- Add remaining ingredients and stir well. (NOTE 2)
- Divide over 2 bowls.
Notes
- If you don’t want to use milk, use water instead of fruit juice. It will change the protein content.
- Instead of adding the cranberries after the couscous is done, you can add the cranberries at the same time as the couscous and have the dried fruits absorb some of the milk as well and become juice instead of chewy (when adding it at the end).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.