Couscous with vegetables and fish balls
- Lactose Free
- Energy Kcal 468
- Carbohydrates g 64.8
- of which sugars g 7.3
- Protein g 25
- Fats g 12.1
- of which saturated fat g 2
- Fiber g 7.6
- Cholesterol mg 41
- Sodium mg 708
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 45 min
- Cook time: 30 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Average
PRESENTATION
Get ready to dive into something delicious: couscous with vegetables and fish meatballs. And here's the thing—this dish comes straight from the colorful kitchens of North Africa and the Mediterranean. It’s got that fresh, summery vibe that’s just perfect for chilling by the sea. Pretty much.
First up, you've got the fluffy couscous. Really good stuff. And the veggies? Well, they’re the real deal: crunchy carrots, crisp green beans, a hint of pumpkin for sweetness, baby zucchini, and a soffritto with spring onions and celery. All these flavors come together—like, seriously good—creating a dish that's light yet super satisfying. I mean, a handful of mint leaves and a sprinkle of lemon zest add a tangy kick, making those Mediterranean flavors pop. It’s a dish that works great as a main course or even as a light starter. Plus, its versatility lets you switch up the veggies or throw in more seafood. Pretty simple.
Now, let’s talk about the star: the fish meatballs. These aren’t your typical, heavy meatballs. Nope. They’re tender and super soft, made from sea bream pulp mixed with boiled potato for moisture, and spiced up with thyme and parsley. Seriously good. They're seared until just golden on the outside, giving that great combo of crispy edges and moist insides. When you get a bite of these alongside the couscous and veggies, it’s really, really something special. And look, if you’re into healthy fish recipes or just need some fresh quick dinner ideas, this one's a winner.
The thing is, it’s got that homemade vibe—super colorful and just inviting on the table. And truthfully, it’s the kind of dish that makes people ask for seconds. No question. Its flexibility means you can call it a seafood couscous or a vegetable couscous, depending on what you’re feeling that day. It's not just about the eating; it’s about experiencing that Mediterranean comfort in every bite. For real.
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INGREDIENTS
- for the couscous
- Couscous 1.4 cups (250 g)
- Water 1 cup (250 g)
- Pumpkin ¾ cup (200 g) - pulp
- Carrots 1 ¼ cup (150 g)
- Green beans 1 cup (150 g)
- Baby Zucchini (summer squash) 1 cup (120 g)
- Fresh scallion 2
- Celery 1 rib
- Lemon peel ½ - untreated
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Mint to taste
- For the fish balls
- Sea bream 9.2 oz (260 g) - fillet
- Potatoes 1 - medium
- Thyme 1 sprig
- Breadcrumbs ¼ cup (30 g)
- Parsley to taste
- Type 00 flour to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
How to prepare Couscous with vegetables and fish balls
To prepare the couscous with vegetables and fish balls, start by boiling a potato. Then focus on cleaning the sea bream: for best results in this delicate operation, consult our Cooking School: How to clean the sea bream. After gutting and scaling the sea bream, remove the gills. Use a fish filleting knife to cut the head off 1. Continue by cutting the tail and the dorsal part of the fish along the spine: start from the top and move the blade horizontally in relation to the work surface to obtain the first fillet 2. Separate the two halves of the fish and continue in the same way, detaching the meat from the bone to obtain the second fillet (be careful not to remove too much pulp during this operation). Remove all any bones using a tweezers 3, then locate them by running a hand over the pulp, then carefully remove the skin using the knife to avoid wasting the fish meat.
Cut the sea bream pulp into pieces and transfer it to a bowl; you'll need 260 g. Once the potato is boiled, peel it and crush it directly into the bowl with a potato masher 4. Salt and pepper to taste, then add the thyme leaves and chopped parsley (5-6).
Knead the mixture by hand 7, add the breadcrumbs and work again 8. Then form meatballs of about 5 g each 9.
Put some flour in a bowl and flour the meatballs 10. Then transfer them to a tray and store them in the fridge until you fry them 11. Now prepare the vegetables for the couscous: start by thoroughly washing the celery and finely chopping it 12.
Wash and peel a carrot with a peeler and chop it 13, clean a fresh scallion and slice it 14. Then remove the skin and seeds from the pumpkin and cut it into cubes 15.
Thoroughly wash the green beans under running water, remove the ends and divide each bean into three pieces 16. Finally, slice the baby zucchinis into rounds after washing and drying them 17. At this point, take a large non-stick pan, pour a drizzle of oil and add the chopped celery and carrots 18.
Add the fresh scallion as well 19 and let it brown, then add the green beans 20 and the diced pumpkin 21, cook for 20 minutes over low heat and add water if necessary. Then salt and pepper again if needed and continue cooking.
Now focus on the couscous: fill a large pot with water, salt it, and add a drizzle of oil 22. Once it boils, pour in the couscous 23 and let it cook for 5 minutes with a lid on. After this time, the couscous will have absorbed most of the cooking water, doubling in volume 24.
Transfer it to the pan where you cooked the vegetables 25, add the sliced baby zucchinis 26 and let it cook for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the fish balls: pour a generous drizzle of oil into a non-stick pan and when it is very hot, fry the sea bream balls 27.
The cooking will be rather quick, the fish balls only need to brown. When the surface is golden, drain them with a skimmer 28 and let them dry on a tray covered with absorbent paper, to remove excess oil 29. Once dry, add the fish balls to the pan with the couscous and vegetables 30.
Season everything by adding a few mint leaves 31 and grating the zest of half a lemon 32. Mix and your couscous with vegetables and fish balls is ready to be served 33!