Baked Pearl Couscous with Chickpeas, Roasted Red Peppers, and Feta
- Total time
- 45 min
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
Baked Pearl Couscous with Chickpeas, Roasted Red Peppers, and Feta
Directions
12 steps
Heat the oven to 425°F. Set out a 12-inch oven-safe skillet or another deep oven-safe pan.
Prepare the ingredients before you start cooking. Chop the onion and garlic, chop the drained roasted red peppers, drain and rinse the chickpeas, crumble the feta, and cut the lemon in half.
Start the skillet base: Pour the olive oil into the skillet and warm it over medium heat until the oil looks loose and shiny.
Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and lightly golden at the edges.
Add the garlic and dried oregano to the skillet. Stir for about 30 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant.
Add the chopped roasted red peppers to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, so their extra moisture cooks off a bit.
Add the tomato paste to the skillet. Stir for 1 minute until it darkens slightly and coats the vegetables.
Add the pearl couscous to the skillet. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until some of the grains look a little glossy and lightly toasted.
Pour the vegetable broth into the skillet and add the chickpeas, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and the black pepper. Stir well to loosen anything stuck to the bottom of the skillet.
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring once, until the couscous has started to swell but is not fully tender yet.
Add the spinach to the skillet a few handfuls at a time. Stir after each handful until the leaves wilt into the hot liquid.
Turn off the heat. Taste the broth in the skillet and add a little more salt or black pepper if it needs it.
