20 Minute Beef and Vegetable Couscous Bowl
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I love making bowls when I need a tasty and nutritious meal on the table in minimal time - not to mention with minimal dishes! Some examples of this are a Deconstructed Tikka Masala Bowl or a Spicy Bean Chili Rice Bowl. This 20-Minute Beef and Vegetable Couscous Bowl also fits the bill!
Bowls are such a convenient quick meal option. I love the versatility and they can be filled with healthy goodies. No need to pay for take-out when you can get this healthy couscous bowl on the table in about 20 minutes!
I love the satisfying flavours in this recipe. I have to say the finishing touches of sun-dried tomatoes and old white cheddar cheese really make me want to devour this dinner again and again! However, to be fair, it had been a long time since I’ve made this dish, mainly because I forgot about how good it is! It had been on my bucket list to use up my couscous and enjoy some hearty beef and healthy vegetables, so now it was the time to check this off of my bucket list! If you’ve wanted to make a satisfying and nutritious beef and couscous bowl, then check it off your bucket list too by making this recipe today as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! You can get started for free by signing up to my email newsletter, plus all of my latest recipes will be sent straight to your inbox so you’ve always got a scrumptious dinner planned for you!
This bowl is also very meal-prep friendly. To save some time after a long day of work, you could have your peppers, mushrooms, and cheese pre-cut. Beef-stir fry strips also save a lot of time because the beef is already cut! Of course, to save even more time, you could purchase sliced mushrooms or frozen peppers. Simply make sure your peppers are thawed before you’re ready to eat!
I love cooking couscous when I’m pressed for time as well. It’s very effortless! All you have to do is add some water and the couscous just does its magic, so that you can focus on cooking the meat. In this recipe, I’m using Moroccan couscous, the smallest type of couscous. This type of couscous actually cooks the quickest compared to pearl, also known as Israeli, couscous. I’ll describe how to cook both types of couscous in this recipe, but if you’re looking for the most time-efficient choice, then the Moroccan couscous is the way to go!
I hope you’ll give this savoury and hearty beef couscous bowl a try! For a demonstration of all the step-by-step instructions, be sure to watch the video at the bottom of this post, and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already! Don’t forget to press the bell button so you’re notified when all of my video recipes are live!
Also, be sure to let me know what you thought in the comments below! What are your go-to meals when you’re in a hurry or just really hungry after a tiring day?
Tools Needed to Make Beef and Vegetables Couscous Bowl
Ingredients for Savoury Beef and Vegetable Couscous
Here is what you’ll need to make this savoury beef bowl. For the complete list of ingredients with their quantities and to save the recipe for later, be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD or press the “Jump to Recipe” button. You can also use the recipe card to scale the recipe based on how much meat you have so that you’ve got the right amount of couscous and veggies - ratios DO matter!
Couscous: In this recipe, I’m using Moroccan couscous, but in the past I’ve actually made this dish with Israeli or pearl couscous. Both will work well, but give you a slightly different experience with the final result! You’ll also need to consider that the different couscous types have different cooking methods. I’ll let you know how to cook each type of couscous. As I describe in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!!, if you have a suitable substitute, then there’s no need to buy exactly what I’m using! This is actually what happened to me when remaking this recipe in 2024! I had the perfect amount of Moroccan couscous to use for the recipe, plus it had been sitting in my pantry for quite some time… This was an excellent occasion to finish it off! I cleared out my pantry and I didn’t need to worry about buying a whole new pack of pearl couscous - I saw that the Moroccan one works just fine!
Beef stir fry strips
Red or orange peppers
Cremini mushrooms
White cheddar: I’ve also used Monterey Jack in this dish, but I actually l prefer white cheddar because it’s creamier and gives a stronger flavour. You can substitute with Monterey Jack or Havarti if desired!
Chives: Freshly chopped for garnish. Fresh parsley would make for a great alternative as well.
What if I Can’t Find Beef Stir Fry Strips?
Usually Flank Steak is used to make the thin, low calorie and leaner cuts of beef used in stir-fry strips. If your grocery store does not carry pre-cut stir-fry strips, try looking for a flank steak. To prepare the stir fry strips, slice them thinly along the grain with a sharp knife.
Tips for Making Beef Tender
The stir-fry strips thin, they literally need to kiss the pan for a few minutes to finish cooking.
To make the meat extra crispy and delicious, coat the strips in some flour that is seasoned with salt and pepper. Shake off any excess and shallow fry in some oil until crispy on both sides. The meat should cook in 3-5 minutes tops and be crispy on the outside and soft inside.
A hot pan is necessary to ensure the flour coating becomes crispy quickly, without letting the meat overcook.
How to Make 20-Minute Beef and vegetable Couscous Bowl
For the Couscous
If using Moroccan couscous
Add the water and salt to a saucepan and bring up to a simmer. Add olive oil, couscous and give a quick stir.
Cover with a lid and set the saucepan off the heat. Let the pan sit for at least 5 minutes. Once done, use a fork to fluff up the couscous and finish with more olive oil or butter.
If using Pearl or Israeli couscous
Add 1 part couscous and 2 parts water to to a saucepan bring to a simmer.
Switch the heat to low and cook the couscous uncovered for about 7-8 minutes or until soft. Once cooked, use a fork to lightly fluff up the couscous, cover and set it aside for later.
Cooking the Beef and the Vegetables
Add the sliced mushrooms to a cold pan, season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low or medium low. Cook until the mushrooms have reduced by half, about 7-10 minutes
Drain any excess water and set the mushrooms aside for now.
As your couscous is cooking, prepare the beef strips. Add the flour, salt, pepper and chili flakes in a large bowl.
Mix well and add the beef stir fry strips.
Toss the strips to ensure they are evenly coated with flour on each side.
Heat a pan on medium high heat and add olive oil to the pan.
When the pan is hot, add the breaded stir fry strips to the pan, shaking off any excess flour in the bowl. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
After 3-4 minutes, flip the strips and cook the other. Cook until the meat is crispy and browned on both sides.
Add the mushrooms, peppers and a sprinkle of chives.
Toss well and cook until the vegetables are tender crisp. Taste and adjust any seasonings as needed.
Serving the Beef and Vegetable Couscous Bowl
Serve the couscous, topped with the sautéed beef strips and vegetables, chives, sun dried tomatoes and cubes of cheddar cheese.
Serve fresh!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE 20-Minute Beef and Vegetable Couscous Bowl HERE:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!