Equipment
Ingredients
Stew Base
- 10 ml olive oil
- 100 g onion, chopped
- 100 g leek, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced 1.25cm (1/2-inch) thick
- 1 garlic, minced
Spices and Aromatics
- 2 g ground coriander
- 2 g caraway seeds, crushed
- ½ g cumin
- ½ g ground red pepper
- 15 g harissa
- 7 g tomato paste
Vegetables and Liquid
- 875 ml vegetable stock
- 475 g butternut squash, peeled and cubed 2.5cm (1-inch)
- 75 g carrot, sliced 1.25cm (1/2-inch) thick
- 180 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed 2.5cm (1-inch)
- 450 g turnips, peeled and cut into 8 wedges each
- 4 g salt
Finishing
- 400 g chickpeas, drained
- 8 g parsley, chopped
- 10 g honey
Grains and Garnish
- 150 g uncooked couscous
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 361 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 67 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 759 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 898 mg
- Calcium
- 103 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 87 mg
- Phosphorus
- 226 mg
- Zinc
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 444 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 36 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 30 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.40 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 2.9 mg
- Folate
- 321 mcg
- Water
- 277 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat 10ml olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add 100g chopped onion and 100g sliced leek to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
Stir in 2g coriander, 2g crushed caraway, 0.5g cumin, 0.5g red pepper, and 1 minced garlic clove. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
Add 710ml vegetable stock, 475g squash, 75g carrots, 180g potatoes, 15g harissa, 7g tomato paste, 4g salt, and 450g turnips to the saucepan.
Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir 400g drained chickpeas, 8g chopped parsley, and 10g honey into the stew.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the remaining 165ml vegetable stock with 150g uncooked couscous.
Cover the bowl and let the couscous stand for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid.
Fluff the couscous with a fork and serve hot with the stew and lemon wedges.
Chef's Notes
- For deeper flavor, toast the dry spices (coriander, caraway, cumin, red pepper) in a dry pan for 30-60 seconds until fragrant before adding to the aromatics.
- Adjust the amount of harissa to your personal spice preference. Different brands of harissa can vary significantly in heat and flavor.
- Ensure the root vegetables are cut into relatively uniform sizes to ensure even cooking. If using very large turnips, you may want to cut them into smaller pieces.
- Don't overcook the couscous. It should be tender and fluffy, not mushy. Fluffing it with a fork after resting is key.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the finished stew just before serving can brighten all the flavors.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store stew and couscous in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze stew only; couscous texture degrades when frozen.
Reheating: Reheat stew on the stovetop over medium heat until steaming (74°C/165°F).
Troubleshooting
Vegetables are still hard after 30 minutes
Cause: Simmer temperature was too low or vegetable chunks were cut too large
Fix: Continue simmering for 5-10 additional minutes until tender
Prevention: Ensure a steady low simmer and maintain consistent 2.5cm (1-inch) cubes
Couscous is crunchy or dry
Cause: Stock was not hot enough or bowl was not covered tightly
Fix: Add 15ml of boiling water, cover, and let sit for 2 more minutes
Prevention: Use boiling stock and a tight-fitting lid or plastic wrap
Cultural Context
This stew draws inspiration from the vibrant and aromatic cuisines of North Africa, particularly Morocco and Tunisia. Dishes featuring chickpeas, root vegetables, and warming spices like cumin and coriander are staples, often enhanced with the smoky heat of harissa, a chili paste central to regional cooking.
