Raise your hand if you hate doing dishes after you cook. You can’t see it, but my hands are waaay up in the air. Cooking is so therapeutic, but after working on a meal, the last thing I want to do is clean up a ton of dishes. If you’re thinking “gosh, me too”, then this creamy one pot parmesan & pea couscous is for you!
Something about pasta and peas is so special to me. When I was in highschool, my aunt and uncle lived in Italy. Before they moved back to the states, I was lucky enough to visit them. I remember we ended the trip with an evening dinner at a little restaurant overlooking rolling greenery of the Venetian hills. I decided on pasta with peas, a simple choice that was highly recommended by the staff. The pasta, of course, was perfect, but the real star of the dish were the peas. In their peak season, these peas were giant and so sweet. I mean, they had to be two, almost three times the size of the peas you get in the freezer section of the grocery store. They were spectacular!
What takes this dish over the top is not it’s simplicity, but that sprinkle of lemon zest over top. It adds such a brightness, tying all of the flavors together, once mixed in. I’m telling you a little bit of lemon can work wonders to enhance a meal. It’s perfect, here, to cut through some of that creamy saltiness and balance everything out!
This is great to serve as a side dish (would be great with my basic sheet pan salmon), or as an entree with an additional vegetable. Perfect for a chilly date night indoors, or a summer evening on the patio. I’d love to hear how this creamy one pot parmesan and pea couscous turns out for you!
Creamy One Pot Parmesan & Pea Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 ½ c israeli couscous
- 3 c water
- 1 clove garlic smashed
- 1 ½ c frozen peas
- ¼-½ c chicken broth
- 2 tbsp parmesan
- ½ tsp lemon zest about ½ lemon
Instructions
- Add couscous, water, smashed garlic, and salt to a stock pot.
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally so the couscous doesn't stick together or to the bottom of the pot.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and add the peas and 1/4 c chicken broth to the pot. Continue cooking until couscous is al dente and liquid has been absorbed into a creamy sauce (about another 8-10 minutes). If your couscous seems to be soaking up the liquid too quickly, and it's not finished cooking, add an additional 1/4 c of broth and cook until al dente.
- Turn off the heat and stir in parmesan until melted and incorporated. Sprinkle zest over the top, serve up and enjoy!
1 thought on “Creamy One Pot Couscous with Peas and Parmesan”