Couscous & steaming
How to Use a Couscoussier (The Real Method)
Real Moroccan couscous is steamed, not soaked, and the difference is night and day: light, separate, tender grains instead of a damp clump. The method uses a couscoussier and three rounds of steaming, with the grain raked and moistened by hand between each. It takes patience the first time, then becomes second nature. Here is exactly how it is done.
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- 8 min
- Guide
- Couscous & steaming
- Updated
- 19 July 2026
At a glance
- Three steamings are the heart of the method — never boil couscous in water.
- Seal the join between the pots so steam is forced up through the grain.
- Rake and oil the grain between passes to keep it separate and swelling evenly.
- The stew below flavours the steam, so start it before the first steaming.
Setting up
Start the stew in the lower pot: brown your meat, add vegetables, water, spices and a little salt, and bring it to a simmer so it can flavour the steam and be ready to serve when the grain is. Meanwhile, moisten the dry couscous in a wide bowl or gsaa with a little water and oil, rubbing it between your fingers so the grains separate and swell slightly before the first steam.
Seal the seam between the two pots so steam cannot escape sideways: wrap a strip of damp cloth around the join, or press a rope of flour-and-water paste into it. This forces all the steam up through the grain, which cooks it faster and more evenly. Only add the couscous once you see steam rising through the empty basket.
The three-steam method
The rhythm is steam, tip out, rake and moisten, then steam again — three times in all.
- First steam: add the grain, steam uncovered about 15–20 minutes until steam rises through it.
- Rake: tip it into the bowl, break up clumps with a fork or oiled hands, sprinkle salted water.
- Second steam: return it and steam again 15–20 minutes to swell the grain further.
- Rake and oil: tip out again, work in a little oil or butter and more water, fluff thoroughly.
- Third steam: a final 15–20 minutes until the grain is tender, light and fully separate.
Finishing and troubleshooting
After the third steam, turn the couscous into a warm dish, dot it with butter or oil, and fluff it one last time so every grain stands apart. Mound it, top with the meat and vegetables from below, and moisten with a few ladles of the broth, serving more broth alongside. Do not drown it; the grain should be moist, not soggy.
If your couscous is stodgy, the usual causes are boiling instead of steaming, a leaky seal that starved the grain of steam, or too much water added at once — add it in small sprinkles and rake well. For choosing and sealing the pot, see the couscoussier guide; with no couscoussier, read cooking couscous without one. Roll the grain in a gsaa for the best texture.
Frequently asked questions
How many times do you steam couscous?
Traditionally three times. The grain is steamed, then tipped out, raked and moistened, and steamed again, repeated for three passes in all. Each steaming swells the grain further, and the raking between them keeps it light and separate rather than clumped.
Why is my couscous stodgy?
Usually because it was boiled rather than steamed, the join between the pots leaked steam, or too much water was added at once. Steam over a well-sealed pot, and add water in small sprinkles while raking the grain between passes to keep it separate.
Do you cook couscous in water or steam?
Traditional Moroccan couscous is steamed over a simmering stew in the upper basket of a couscoussier, never boiled in water. Steaming, with raking and moistening between passes, is what gives the grain its light, tender, separate texture.
How do you keep couscous grains separate?
Moisten the dry grain with oil and a little water before the first steam, rake it thoroughly between each of the three steamings, and work in a little oil or butter partway through. Adding water in small amounts and fluffing well keeps the grains from clumping.