Couscous — country by country
The Maghreb's Friday mountain of steamed semolina — three countries, three souls.
Every country brings its own touch. Here's how they differ.
⚔️ Head to head
Pick two kitchens and see exactly where they part ways.
🇲🇦 Morocco
✨ Seven-vegetable broth and the sweet tfaya crown — steamed three times, never boiled.
Only in Morocco
- lamb or chicken
- carrots, zucchini, turnip, pumpkin, cabbage (mixed)
- chickpeas, cooked
- ras el hanout
- onions + raisins for tfaya
- cinnamon and honey (tfaya)
🇹🇳 Tunisia
✨ Tomato-harissa broth, distinctly spicy, famously crowned with whole fish or lamb.
Only in Tunisia
- fish steaks or lamb
- harissa
- tomato paste
- carrots, potatoes, peppers
- caraway and coriander
🤝 Both use
- couscous
🇲🇦 Morocco
⏱ 120 minMoroccan Friday couscous: seven vegetables, sweet caramelized onion-raisin tfaya on top.
✨ What makes it special
Seven-vegetable broth and the sweet tfaya crown — steamed three times, never boiled.
🇹🇳 Tunisia
⏱ 110 minTunisian couscous is red and fearless — harissa in the broth, often with fish on the coast.
✨ What makes it special
Tomato-harissa broth, distinctly spicy, famously crowned with whole fish or lamb.
🇩🇿 Algeria
⏱ 105 minAlgeria, couscous's heartland, keeps it white and pure — broth on the side, butter through the grain.
✨ What makes it special
The white couscous (mesfouf tradition): buttery grain served apart from a clear chickpea-vegetable broth.