Name: Colin’s new couscous recipe is a simple 30-minute spring dinner
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 300g couscous; 300ml boiling water; Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season; Zest of 1 lemon; Splash of white vinegar; Chopped roasted almonds, crumbled feta, sliced baby cucumbers, torn zucchini flowers, to serve; Green sauce; 1 green apple, cored, roughly chopped; 1/2 clove garlic; 5 kale, black cabbage or silverbeet leaves, roughly chopped; 1/2 bunch sorrel (optional), roughly chopped, plus extra to serve; 1/2 bunch mint, leaves picked, plus extra to serve; 1 bunch basil, leaves picked, plus extra to serve; Juice and zest of 1 lemon; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2–3 tablespoons boiling water

Colin Fassnidge’s new green couscous gets dinner on the table in just 30 minutes. With sorrel, mint and lots of basil, this recipe uses up all the herbs that you’ve got wilting in the back of the fridge.

The best part is, there’s no actual cooking involved! Simply turn on the kettle to boil some water and blend up your green sauce, and you’re good to go! Perfect for a quick, spring dinner with no frills.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

300g couscous

300ml boiling water

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

Zest of 1 lemon

Splash of white vinegar

Chopped roasted almonds, crumbled feta, sliced baby cucumbers, torn zucchini flowers, to serve

Green sauce

1 green apple, cored, roughly chopped

1/2 clove garlic

5 kale, black cabbage or silverbeet leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 bunch sorrel (optional), roughly chopped, plus extra to serve

1/2 bunch mint, leaves picked, plus extra to serve

1 bunch basil, leaves picked, plus extra to serve

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2–3 tablespoons boiling water

Method

Step 1

In a large bowl, stir oil through couscous until grains are coated. Pour over boiling water. Season. Cover tightly with cling film and leave in a warm place to allow couscous to absorb liquid. Fluff couscous with a fork to separate grains. Mix through lemon zest and vinegar.

Step 2

For the green sauce, blend ingredients in a food processor. Add sauce to couscous and stir gently to combine.

Step 3

Spread couscous on a large serving plate. Scatter with almonds, feta, cucumber, zucchini flowers and extra sorrel, mint and basil leaves.

spring green couscous with kale spinach apple and sorrel sitting in bowl on pink background — (Photography: Jeremy Simons, Styling: Emma Knowles)

Writer Rachel Iorfino Senior content producer

Rachel Iorfino is a senior content producer for Better Homes and Gardens who specialises in gardening and lifestyle content. With a Bachelor's degree in English and Visual Arts under her belt, Rachel excels in storytelling through her writing and content creation. Rachel is known for her love of native plants and flowers, and will always recommend an Aussie alternative to installing a turf lawn in your backyard!