Israeli Couscous with Tempeh and Red Wine

You're all familiar with couscous -- the tiny round semolina pasta served with every Moroccan dish under the sun -- but have you tried Israeli couscous? Instead of semolina, Israeli couscous is made with hard wheat and it's approximately twice the diameter of its smaller cousin and is prepared in a very similar fashion.


When shopping, you might also see Israeli couscous referred to as "pearl couscous." I'm partial to the Harvest Grains Blend that Trader Joe's sells, which contains Israeli couscous, orzo, split chickpeas and red quinoa. The cooking instructions call for chicken broth, but vegetable broth or salted water works just fine. In a pinch, you can substitute plain orzo pasta for the couscous in this recipe.

This is a easy two-dish dinner that can be made for just one person, or for a small army. It's one of my favorites for both of those reasons. I'll list the recipe for 1 (generous) portion, and you can double or triple as needed.


Israeli Couscous with Tempeh and Red Wine

1/4 cup Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's
6 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, sliced Lyonnaise style (root to tip)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 of a green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 serving tempeh, chunked or in small strips
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 cup red wine (use whatever you usually drink)
1/2 cup vegetable broth

In a small saucepan, cook Harvest Grains in water according to package instructions (or substitute orzo pasta here if you prefer).

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and bell pepper, and cook until shallots are translucent and soft (approx 10 minutes). Add tempeh and scallion, and sauté until the tempeh pieces pick up a bit of color on both sides (approx 5-7 minutes).

Add red wine and vegetable broth to the tempeh. Turn the heat to medium high until the liquid begins to bubble, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to approximately 1/4 cup.

Serve Israeli couscous alongside the tempeh-veggie mix on the same plate. Garnish with fresh chopped scallions.