Moroccan · Main course

Moroccan Couscous Power Bowl

This modern bowl keeps couscous as its base but loads it into a colourful, protein-rich meal — herbed couscous piled with roasted squash, crisp chickpeas, greens, feta and a harissa-honey dressing. It reimagines Friday couscous as a contemporary lunch bowl, balanced and bright, of the sort filling Marrakech's health-focused cafes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 50 min
Serves: 4
Level: Easy

Ingredients

250 g couscous
500 g butternut squash, cubed
400 g cooked chickpeas
100 g baby spinach or rocket
100 g feta, crumbled
Small bunch parsley and mint, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
For the dressing: 1 tsp harissa, 1 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lemon
40 g toasted pumpkin seeds
Salt

Method

1

Roast the squash and chickpeas

Toss the squash and chickpeas with olive oil and salt and roast at 200°C for 25–30 minutes until tender and the chickpeas crisp.
2

Steam the couscous

Pour just-boiled salted water over the couscous to barely cover, cover and leave 5 minutes, then fluff with oil and the chopped herbs.
3

Make the dressing

Whisk the harissa, honey, olive oil and lemon juice together.
4

Assemble

Spoon the herbed couscous into bowls, top with the greens, roasted squash and chickpeas, and crumble over the feta.
5

Dress

Drizzle over the harissa-honey dressing and scatter with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Chef's tips

Fluff the couscous with a fork and a little oil so it stays light and separate.
Roast the chickpeas until crisp for texture against the soft couscous and squash.
The sweet-spicy harissa-honey dressing ties the whole bowl together — taste and balance it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I prep it for lunchboxes?

Yes. Assemble everything except the dressing and greens, keep them separate, and combine just before eating so the couscous and leaves stay fresh.

How do I make it vegan?

Leave out the feta or use a plant-based feta, and swap the honey in the dressing for maple syrup or date syrup. It stays hearty and satisfying.