Italian Couscous Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is couscous called in Italy? ›

Italian Couscous Pasta (aka Pearl Couscous)

Cooking couscous has been a part of Italian culture for a long time, so much so the there's even a festival dedicated to it. This Sardinian pearl pasta also called Fregola tostata or Succu is made from durum wheat semolina and traditionally rolled by hand into little pearls.

At first glance, fregula looks a lot like couscous – but it's actually a rather dainty pasta shape. Fregula hails from the island of Sardinia, which, whilst part of Italy, definitely dances to its own beat.

Fregola bears a striking resemblance to Israeli couscous (the pearl-shaped variety, not the smaller-grain version more common in the United States). While both are small, round kinds of pasta, fregola stands out for its pre-toasted nature, which imparts a distinct nutty flavor and slightly rough texture.

Where orzo looks long and shaped like rice, couscous comes in round ball form, often very small. For a larger couscous that is closer in size to orzo, Israeli couscous is a good substitute.

While many believe that it is a type of grain, such as rice or barley, it is actually a type of pasta. (Hint: some grocery stores may stock couscous in the pasta section, but most will often stock it in the grain section, next to the rice). Couscous is pasta made from semolina flour mixed with water.

Compared to couscous, quinoa has stronger anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. With 7 percent fewer calories per 100 grams of cooked couscous than quinoa, it is healthier for weight loss. Every 100 grams of cooked quinoa has 120 calories. Every 100 grams of cooked couscous has 112 calories.

Though couscous contains limited amounts of blood-sugar-lowering protein, it's fairly high in carbs, with 36 grams per cup (157 grams) (1). Those with blood sugar issues or diabetes should be cautious when consuming moderate- to high-carb foods.

While couscous and white rice have almost the same amount of calories per 100 grams, couscous contains more protein and higher amounts of vitamins and minerals so can be considered a healthier option in those departments. Both grains can support weight loss when incoporated into a balanced, healthy diet.

Here is how I cook couscous: Moroccan (the small kind,) pearl (medium,) and (the biggest) Lebanese, aka, Moghrabieh. Totally vegan and typically made from wheat, couscous is native to North Africa and popular throughout the Mediterranean.

What is the cousin of couscous? ›

Pearl millet, sorghum, bulgur, and other cereals are sometimes cooked in a similar way in other regions, and the resulting dishes are also sometimes called couscous.

Fregola is a beautiful, tasty Sardinian pasta made from hard durum wheat flour - rolled, sun-dried, and toasted to a mix of shades of yellow, gold, and brown. The pasta is rustic and nutty, each grain with a raggy surface adept at catching flavor.

Orzo (/ˈɔːrzoʊ, ˈɔːrtsoʊ/; lit. 'barley'; Italian: [ˈɔrdzo]; from Latin hordeum), also known as risoni ( Italian: [riˈzoːni]; "large [grains of] rice"), is a form of short-cut pasta shaped like a large grain of rice.

Because it is easily digested and low in gluten, farro can often be eaten by people who are normally gluten-intolerant. Italian couscous has a grand historical tradition in Trapani, Sicily. Easy to cook and adaptable to many recipes, Farro Couscous pairs beautifully with a number of flavors in a main dish or as a side.

While couscous is a tiny pasta, bulgur is an ancient form of pre-cooked wheat. To make it, the grains are par-cooked while still inside the chaff, then they are hulled and chipped into smaller pieces. This process drives the nutrients into the grain, rather than washing them away.