Equipment
Ingredients
Base and Aromatics
- 200 g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight in cold water
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 30 g harissa paste
- 3 g ground turmeric
- 1000 ml vegetable broth, low sodium
Add-Ins and Finish
- 200 g jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
- 150 g pearl couscous
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 371 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 71 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1467 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 1248 mg
- Calcium
- 191 mg
- Iron
- 7.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 122 mg
- Phosphorus
- 243 mg
- Zinc
- 2.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 51 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 65 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.36 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 2.0 mg
- Folate
- 215 mcg
- Water
- 296 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a colander, drain and thoroughly rinse the dried cannellini beans that have been soaking in cold water overnight.
Transfer the drained beans to the slow cooker insert. Add the finely diced yellow onion, minced garlic, harissa paste, ground turmeric, and low-sodium vegetable broth. Stir thoroughly to ensure the spices are fully dissolved into the cooking liquid.
Secure the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on the low heat setting for 8 hours, undisturbed, until the cannellini beans are completely soft and creamy throughout.
Carefully remove the slow cooker lid. Stir in the drained and chopped jarred roasted red peppers along with the uncooked pearl couscous. Change the slow cooker temperature setting from low to high.
Replace the lid and continue cooking on the high setting for an additional 30 minutes, or until the pearl couscous has swelled and absorbed a substantial portion of the seasoned broth.
Turn off the slow cooker. Gently stir in the roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and the optional freshly squeezed lemon juice. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with kosher salt as needed. Ladle into warm bowls and serve hot.
Chef's Notes
- While harissa paste adds an incredible depth of flavor and a touch of acidity, highly acidic environments can sometimes prevent beans from softening. The long 8-hour slow cook generally overcomes this, but if your water is hard or your beans are older, consider holding back the harissa until you add the couscous.
- Pearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous, acts much like a small pasta and will absorb significant liquid. If you plan to eat the majority of this dish the next day, expect to add a generous splash of hot vegetable broth when reheating.
- To elevate the flavor profile even further, you can quickly sauté the onions and bloom the turmeric and harissa in a small amount of olive oil on the stovetop before transferring them to the slow cooker. This skips the total dump-and-go convenience but yields a more complex base.
- Always sort through your dried beans before soaking to remove any small stones, shriveled beans, or agricultural debris.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — The pearl couscous will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. You may need to add a splash of water or vegetable broth when reheating to restore the stew consistency.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in airtight containers. The couscous may become slightly softer upon thawing, but the flavor will remain excellent.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until simmering. Add extra broth if too thick.
Troubleshooting
Beans are still tough and chalky after 8 hours of cooking.
Cause: The dried beans were too old, or the harissa paste introduced too much acidity early in the cooking process.
Fix: Transfer the stew to a stovetop pot, add a pinch of baking soda, and boil vigorously until the beans become tender.
Prevention: Ensure dried beans are no more than a year old and properly soak them in filtered water. If your beans are notoriously stubborn, withhold the harissa paste until step 4.
The stew has no liquid left and resembles a thick paste.
Cause: The pearl couscous absorbed more broth than anticipated, or the slow cooker lid allowed too much evaporation.
Fix: Stir in 120ml to 240ml of hot vegetable broth or boiling water until the desired stew-like consistency is restored.
Prevention: Ensure your slow cooker lid fits snugly to trap steam.
Cultural Context
Harissa is a foundational, fiery chili paste originating from the Maghreb region of North Africa, built on a blend of roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers, garlic, and warm spices like caraway and coriander. In this stew, it acts as a brilliant flavor shortcut, instantly bridging the culinary gap between Mediterranean staples like Italian cannellini beans and Levantine pearl couscous. The slow cooking method mimics the traditional slow, gentle simmering of North African tagines.
