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Featuring fresh shrimp, crisp vegetables, couscous and warming spice, Moroccan Shrimp and Couscous is a quick, easy and satisfying meal. It is perfect for those days when you are in a rush or you don’t want to heat up the kitchen. The best part is that you can customise the level of spice to suit your family.
Updated May 2026.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Moroccan Shrimp and Couscous is really easy to make and as the couscous is cooked in with the vegetables, you are only using two pans.
The recipe serves four but it’s easily multiplied to serve a crowd.
You can adjust the spicing to suit your taste. When I first published this recipe here in 2019, I only used a teaspoon of harissa in the whole recipe, but now our tastes have evolved and I generally add a heaped teaspoon to both the shrimp and the vegetables and couscous.
The recipe calls for 24 shrimp divided between 4 people, but you can always use a few more if you like.
What is Harissa?
Harissa is a spice paste from North Africa, A blend of tomato paste or puree, peppers, dried red chilies, olive oil, garlic, caraway seeds, ground cumin and coriander (cilantro), harissa is quite spicy. However, used carefully, it adds the most wonderful flavour to vegetables, meat, fish and grains. This is the brand that I use most often (affiliate link).
Making Moroccan Shrimp and Couscous
After sautéing the onion, peppers and garlic in olive oil and adding the chick peas, you simply tip in the couscous, add some hot chicken stock along with half the harissa. Cover the pan with a lid and keep it on low heat for five minutes so the stock is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, fry the shrimp in some butter with the rest of the harissa, a pinch of salt and a good few twists of freshly ground pepper.
Divide the couscous mixture between four plates and top with the shrimp.
How To Serve
I serve Moroccan Shrimp and Couscous in individual bowls. I like to garnish it with fresh chives. Sometimes I serve warm crusty bread or rolls alongside.
An ice cold glass of sauvignon blanc or crisp rosé makes a lovely accompaniment for the grown ups.
I hope you will enjoy this easy to make dish as much as we do!
Moroccan Shrimp and Couscous – Printable Recipe
Moroccan Shrimp with Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, red if possible, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 – 14 ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons harissa, divided You can use more if you like.
- ¾ cup couscous
- 1 cup hot chicken stock, made from a cube is fine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 24 large raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined You can use more if you like.
- salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried, chives
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for a minute or so.
- Stir in the red pepper slices and continue to cook until the onion and red pepper have softened, but not browned.
- Grate in the garlic and stir in the chick peas.
- Add the couscous and cook for a minute or so, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the hot chicken stock and half the harissa. Cover the pan and keep over low heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Stir in the remaining harissa.
- Fry the shrimp until pink throughout.
- Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the chives.
- Run a fork through the couscous and taste for seasoning, adding more pepper if necessary. Divide between four plates.
- Top each serving of couscous with about six shrimp.
did you make this recipe?
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More Easy Shrimp Recipes
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This looks so delicious April. Thanks for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.
I’m so glad you like it, Cindy! Thank you for commenting 🙂 x
I love the flavors here, April – Pinned to try! Pinned to try 🙂
Thank you for pinning the recipe, Jamie 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
This looks AMAZING, April! I love shrimp and I love couscous, I definitely have to try this! Have a great weekend!
~Jen @ YummyHealthyEasy.com
Thanks, Jen! I hope you enjoy it 🙂 Hope you are having a lovely weekend too!
I am crazy about the flavors of Moroccan style cooking so this recipe has great appeal for me. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Lulu 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Have a great weekend and hope to see you soon!
Miz Helen
My pleasure, Miz Helen. I hope you have a great weekend too 🙂
Who would say ‘NO’ that beauty? 🙂
What adorable, inviting, pretty fish and pictures !
Gotta try it soon 🙂 🙂
Thank you so much!
Delicious and very flavor full of shrimp salad with couscous.
Thank you, Swathi!
Congratulations April!
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you are having a great day and enjoy your new Red Plate!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen!
This is a perfect dinner! I love it. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I think it’ll go on next week’s menu. 🙂
Thank you so much, Debi! I hope you and your family enjoy it 🙂
This looks like such a flavorful dish. Delicious.
Thank you, Janette! It really is delicious 🙂
Dear April, this sounds like a wonderful dish. I love the flavors. xo, Catherine
Thank you, Catherine 🙂 xo
Oh April…we adore Moroccan food and this dish looks outrageous! A must-try for sure! Sharing everywhere!
Thank you, Linda, and thank you so much for sharing too!
Ooh this sounds delicious, must try this recipe sometime xo
Thank you, Rachel 🙂
Oh this looks amazing I love COus COus but the other half hates fish 🙁 of well he can make his own tea while I enjoy mine lol X X
http://mumdadplus4.co.uk/
Thank you so much! Maybe your other half can have the couscous with a chicken breast on top? 😉
This looks like a perfect light dish for Summer! Thanks for linking up with Let’s Get Real
Thank you, Gaye, and thank you for hosting!
Oh my goodness, this looks amazing!! I’m definitely bookmarking this x
Thank you, Amy 🙂
This looks and sounds lovely! I love how easy couscous is 🙂
Thank you, Jess! Me too 🙂
I love every single ingredient in this dish, April. I could almost imagine how good it smells and tastes!! Pinning and tweeting!!
Thank you so much, Hadia! Thank you for pinning and tweeting too 🙂
This sounds delicious! 🙂
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thank you, Jess, and thank you for hosting!
My son loves shrimp, not always couscous, but we can try again 🙂
I hope you all enjoy the recipe, Samantha. Couscous can definitely be an acquired taste but hopefully the shrimp will make up for it 😉
I can’t wait to make this! I LOVE Moroccan food. In fact, it’s the only destination I go to where I actually gorge on the food.
I am sure you will enjoy it, Jennifer 🙂 I’ve never been to Morocco but it’s definitely on the list!
That sounds really good. I love couscous. I never thought of adding chickpeas to it!
Thank you, Ellen. Chickpeas really do add a lovely flavour and texture to couscous 🙂
This sounds so yummy!! However I love anything that has shrimp in it.
Thank you, Jacqui and me too 🙂 Shrimp are so delicious!
I love seafood, especially shrimp! So this is definitely a recipe I’d love to try.
I am sure you will love it, Ashley 🙂
Thank you, April. I’m determined to try this one!
I hope you enjoy it, Pauline 🙂
…And I’m bumping this one back to the top of my must-try list!
Thank you so much, Pauline! I hope you enjoy it. It’s definitely one of our favourites!
This looks and sounds delicious April! I think that I could easily adapt the recipe to gluten free by subbing quinoa for the couscous.
Thank you, Leslie! I’m sure quinoa would taste lovely with this dish 🙂 Please let me know if you try it!
This looks so good!! I’ve never tried something like this, how delicious!! it seems really easy to make!
Thank you, Olivia! It really is ever so easy and always delicious.