One-Pot Smoky Fish With Tomato, Olives and Couscous Recipe (2024)

Can we substitute quinoa for the couscous?

It is very hard to remove the fish fillets without having bits of uncooked couscous stuck to the fish. It was a tedious process removing the couscous from the cooked fish fillets. Perhaps it would be better to add the fish AFTER the couscous has finished cooking or during the last 5-7 minutes of the couscous cooking? I made this using frozen fish fillets (since I'm only doing express grocery pickups once/week) and this recipe, with its flavorful sauce, is ideal for frozen fish.

Think of this as as template. Use what you have on hand, this is not a rigid recipe. I had fish, onions, garlic, peppers, olives. Used cherry tomatoes and some sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste instead of canned tomatoes. Used Farro since I didn't have cous-cous. Used Anchovy paste instead of anchovies. Couldn't find my Cayenne so added a bit of Harissa. Delicious! Be creative. You really can't go wrong as long as you follow the general idea and don't overcook the onions/peppers.

I am going to try this tonight--as the recipe directs. But I am wondering if, instead of fish, one could use shrimp. A pound or so might do. What do readers think?

Just made this and the flavors are great. Will make again BUT I will cook the couscous for 5 minutes before adding the fish. Stirring in the couscous, submerging the fish, and then removing when it’s FLAKY and covered in par-cooked couscous was annoying, especially because you add the fish back in 5 mins later. Do yourself a favor and add the fish after you give the couscous a head start. Could always add a few more tbsps of broth or water to keep it bubbling.

This was so good! I side-stepped all of the issues with cooking the fish by just cooking the couscous separately. (1 cup couscous, 1 1/2 cups broth, 1 tsp salt, cook 10 minutes.). Made the sauce as directed and let it simmer for a good 20 minutes to concentrate flavors, then added the fish, cooked for 8 minutes covered. Served in shallow bowls, couscous on the bottom, topped with the fish and then lots of sauce. It was amazingly good, definitely will be making it again!

For those wondering why Step #3 requires pulling the fish out (and then returning in a later step), the answer is probably that the couscous will absorb most of the liquid and not leave enough to braise/poach the fish later.

This dish was excellent made as directed (first time around). The flavors are excellent!Next time, I would consider the following:- rather than adding the fish and then removing, just adding it closer to the end of cooking time (extra handling, for me, made the fish tend to break up)- trying chicken thigh fillets or tenders rather than fish (and including the chicken during the entire cooking process)But cook this dish! It's great!

I was wondering the same thing, about shrimp or some inexpensive white fish. The recipe sounds good In terms of flavor profile, but it sounds as though it would overwhelm a delicate white fish. Not to mention, if I’m spending the $$ on, say, halibut, I want to prepare it as simply as possible to let the flavor shine through.

Maybe a cook with more experience can explain, why not wait to add the fish until the farro is almost done rather than cooking, removing and adding back to warm?

We played with this, using smoked paprika flavored lamb sausage instead of fish and cut up cherry tomatoes with a little ketchup instead of canned tomatoes. It was delicious. Similar flavor profile, just improvised on ingredients.

I made this recipe as I promised. I added a few more olives and a jalapeno to add some zing. It was very good, worth doing again soon, but I agree with Equilibrist--the flavors are great but they do overwhelm the white fish. Next time I will try it with shrimp. Also, be careful with the couscous. I thought it made the dish a bit too "starchy". Perhaps it would be wise to make the couscous first in a separate pot, then add it about half way through until one gets the right amount.

I panicked when one reviewer found it “bland,” so I turned up the volume on everything: 2x garlic, whole jar of TJ’s piquillo peppers, tbs of smoked pimentón, 2x anchovies, a packet of Halal Bros. hot sauce instead of cayenne, and a cup of pitted oil-cured black olives. It was NOT bland! Also added 2 c. halved cherry tomatoes towards the end: the sweetness and acid was much needed! I wouldn’t advise making this recipe without them. Also steamed the seasoned cod filets at the very end.

Curious about your anchovy substitution question, Valarie, I googled and found a wide variety of suggestions.1/2 tsp paste equals 2 filets, vs a tsp paste for a tsp chopped filets (to me this means start small and taste it)Paste is said to be saltierOr, capers, kalamatas and miso also give the umami. Also to taste.

I could not understand why the fish was put into the sauce with the couscous, removed and then added back when the couscous was cooked. So, basically, I added the couscous to the sauce and about 5 min later added the fish. The whole dish was ready at the same time. Also, I made a full recipe, using only a small piece of fish (for 2 people). The leftover sauce I will use with shrimp since they will cook while warming the sauce.

I used farro instead of couscous because a dinner guest was on a high fiber diet. I separately simmered pearled farro for 20 mins to the point where it was still short of al dente. Then added to the pan as described in step 3 for couscous, along with cod fillets. Simmered it all (without removing/replacing fish) for about 10 mins. No problems with fish flaking apart or couscous sticking to fish. The entire table mopped up their plates with baguette.

Phenomenal! I made a few changes:- used 3 medium fresh tomatoes instead of canned- roasted my own bell peppers (cut in half, remove guts, and bake at 450 for 20 minutes)- 4X the amount of cayenne pepper- used a multi grain cous cous mix- didn't cook to parsley, reserved this to top it with fresh parsley at the end- simplified cooking by first cooking the cous cous for 5 minutes and then adding fish for another 5 to 10 minutes (no need to remove and add back in)

very good - with preparation it took much longer than the 30 minutes quoted - I gave myself an hour and still overran. It’s very tasty and filling - I served it with baguette (excellent for mopping up the sauce)

Can i make this with regular paprika

I followed this almost to the letter, and we loved it. We used frozen barramundi from a local grocery. I’ve tried searching for that fish in this app, and can’t find a thing.

I should have said that I changed the prep by searing the fish first and cooking the couscous mix by itself until it was almost done, then added the fish.

Following other people's suggestions, I've made the following adjustments:- Substituted the cayenne with a heaping tablespoon of harissa- Made it a little soupier with 1 2/3 cup chicken stock- Use any fish, this tenderizes almost anything nicely- Add the fish *after* the couscous has had ~5-6 mins cooking time

Jan 2024, quick and yummy! No olives, added adobo sauce from chipotle peppers; veggie broth and regular (small) couscous rather than pearl. Fresh cod. Served with arugula parm salad and toasted focaccia. Great weeknight dinner.

Cooking instructions are absurd.You end up with fish covered in hard uncooked couscous. Had to put the fish back in so the couscous was not rock hard which leaves the fish overcooked.Don’t add the couscous until the couscous is fully cooked

This was a great recipe and a win. I made my own stewed tomatoes instead of the 14oz canned ones using a handful of cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp water, 1tbsp of olive oil, 3tbsp of chopped sundried tomatoes sautéed separately and then mixed in cooked for 5-10 minutes until it thickens. I used 4 halibut filets and subbed out the pearl couscous for 1 cup (measured uncooked) orzo. I also went with the fresh red pepper sautéed with the onions. The meal was great and I highly recommend this recipe.

Delicious! Used red wine since that is what I had open, anchovy paste instead of chopped filets and added extra olives and some capers. My cod files were still partly frozen and worked perfectly. Left them in the pan the whole time the couscous cooked. Will definitely make again.

I would season the fish with salt and pepper before cooking it in the couscous

couldn’t find jarred peppers, charred a fresh bell pepper over an open flame for more depth

I used quinoa instead of pearl couscous to make this and put fish in with about 10 minutes to cook. I also added in some spinach towards the end and it came out great.

6 Stars. Made it with very fresh halibut. Well worth the effort. My new favorite fish dish.