Baked Couscous Casserole With Broccoli and Chickpeas
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This Baked Couscous Casserole With Broccoli and Chickpeas is an easy one-dish family meal that requires minimal prep and is ready in 30 minutes! Serve it as a delicious side dish or as a main entree! Easily customize it for meat-eaters or picky eaters.
One-dish meals are my favorite type of meal, especially as a busy mom, because they typically allow me to be more hands-off and require less cleanup.
I love that this couscous recipe is made in a baking dish so I can focus on a different task (like playing with my kids or getting a salad prepped) while it’s cooking in the oven.
My family also loves these other one-dish meals: Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe (Vegan), One Pot French Onion Pasta Recipe (Gluten-Free), and Vegan One-Pot Tomato Vodka Pasta.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- Minimal Prep – The only chopping is of the onion and this is an optional ingredient! Otherwise, you just pour the ingredients into a bowl to mix and transfer to a baking dish.
- Easy – This recipe requires just three easy steps!
- Customizable – Serve this couscous casserole as a side dish or a main dish. You can customize it for kids and meat eaters (see ideas below!).
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Couscous Bake:
Ingredient Notes
- Couscous: You can use whole durum wheat couscous or Israeli couscous (also known as pearl couscous).
- Olive Oil: I use olive oil instead of butter in the couscous, but feel free to use butter instead.
- Broccoli: I used frozen broccoli to save me time! You can use raw broccoli but will need to cook it in the microwave for about 4 minutes covered in water to help it soften a little before putting it in the oven.
- Onions: The onions are optional. Be sure to chop them very finely if using, so they won’t be as noticeable to little ones and to help them cook.
How to Make Couscous Casserole: STEP-BY-STEP
For the full recipe with the exact ingredients, scroll down to the printable recipe card below!
STEP 1: Mix ingredients in a bowl
In a large mixing bowl, mix uncooked couscous, broccoli, chickpeas, onion, salt, garlic powder, olive oil, and vegetable broth.
STEP 2: Transfer to a baking dish
Pour the couscous mixture into a baking dish and spread it out evenly.
STEP 3: Top with cheese
Sprinkle shredded cheese over the couscous mixture.
STEP 4: Bake
Bake in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. You should be able to fluff the couscous with a fork and the cheese should be melted.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving to kids – My kids typically do best when their food is deconstructed. Reserve some of the chickpeas and frozen broccoli for this recipe and serve them to your kids separately (obviously, heat the broccoli for them). When the couscous bake is done cooking, you can then scoop out some of the plain couscous to serve alongside the chickpeas and broccoli. You could add a quesadilla or avocado and some fruit on the side.
- Make it baby-friendly – I referred to Solid Starts when I began introducing solids to my kids. Their app was VERY helpful for baby-led weaning. Please check their app for age-appropriate recommendations for your child on how to serve the chickpeas and broccoli. I served this dish to my one-year-old who only had 4 teeth at the time by slightly smashing the chickpeas and cutting the broccoli into much smaller age-appropriate pieces for him. I love adding avocado and hemp hearts to this dish for little ones, too!
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Let the casserole cool completely and then transfer it to an air-tight freezer-safe container like my favorite, Souper Cubes Trays! Store the casserole in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw couscous in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the microwave until heated through.
Additions & Substitutions
Additions:
- Cooked Plant-Based Sausage: To add some more protein and a richer flavor to this recipe, you could add plant-based sausage (or real sausage if you eat meat). I would sauté the sausage first, then add it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.
- Hemp Hearts: You can top the dish with a sprinkle of hemp hearts after it’s done baking for some added nutrients.
Substitutions:
- Couscous: You can sub whole durum wheat couscous for Israeli couscous (also known as pearl couscous).
- Olive Oil: You can replace the olive oil with ghee or butter if you prefer.
- Vegetable Broth: If your diet allows, you can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
- Broccoli: You could replace this with a different veggie such as frozen cauliflower.
What to Serve With Baked Couscous
- This couscous casserole can be served as a side or as a main dish!
- A side salad
- A protein in addition to the chickpeas, such as plant-based (or real) sausage, chicken thighs (if your diet allows), baked tofu with Italian seasoning, or lentils.
- Avocado
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve always served it as a main dish, but my husband thinks it’s best as a side dish! You can serve it as either. 🙂 If serving as a main dish, you may want to supplement some extra protein with something like plant-based sausage, nuts, or (if you eat meat) chicken.
You can omit the cheese to make it vegan, though the casserole won’t stick together this way and it will miss out on some flavor. You could use a vegan shredded cheese or nutritional yeast on top though!
Yes! I served this dish to my 1-year-old who only had 4 teeth at the time. Please refer to the Solid Starts app to find age-appropriate recommendations on how to serve chickpeas and broccoli to your little one. I slightly smashed the chickpeas and cut up the broccoli into a more age-appropriate size for my little one (again, please check the Solid Starts app for directions on how to serve). I also added avocado with a sprinkle of hemp hearts!
A side salad, a protein in addition to the chickpeas (such as plant-based (or real) sausage, chicken thighs (if your diet allows), baked tofu with Italian seasoning, or lentils), or a side of avocado.
Tools For This Recipe
- Mixing Bowl
- Souper Cubes (if freezing)
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I hope you love this Couscous Casserole! If you make it, be sure to leave a rating below so I know how you liked it! Enjoy!
Couscous Casserole With Broccoli and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat durum couscous, (or Israeli couscous)
- 16 ounces broccoli florets, frozen
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix uncooked couscous, broccoli, chickpeas, onion, salt, garlic powder, olive oil, and vegetable broth.
- Pour the couscous mixture into a baking dish and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese over the couscous mixture.
- Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. You should be able to fluff the couscous with a fork and the cheese should be melted.
We made this recipe with our kids in mind, but upon my husband’s first bite, he gave me praise and a high-five. This is a man who doesn’t normally eat chickpeas!
We will definitely be making this one again.
Yay! Love the high-five! 🙂 I am so happy to hear that your family enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
What if I can only find golden cous cous and not whole wheat?
Hi Julie! That should work just fine! I think the whole wheat couscous I use is actually the same or at least very similar to Golden Couscous. Thanks for asking. 🙂
This recipe was super easy to make on a weeknight & tasted great! We have leftovers for tomorrow too. Thanks for responding so quickly when I inquired in the couscous type.
Absolutely! Yay, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and found it easy to make! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. I appreciate it! 🙂
Could quinoa be substituted for couscous? Looks tasty, with quick and easy prep and cleanup!
Hi Elaine! Great question! I have never tried this recipe with quinoa instead of couscous, but I imagine it could work! I can’t say exactly how it may alter the cook time, but quinoa doesn’t take too long to cook, so I think it may work with a similar cook time. Let me know how it turns out if you try it – you’ve inspired me to want to try it with quinoa, too! 🙂
what do you do with the olive oil?
Hi Jan! Thank you for catching that! I have updated the recipe card to reflect what to do with the olive oil (I’m so sorry about that!). You will just add it to the large bowl, along with all of the other ingredients (other than the cheese). Thanks again!