Shawarma-Spiced Shrimp Couscous Bowls with Roasted Veggies and Harissa Yogurt

These shawarma-spiced shrimp couscous bowls are packed with bold flavors and textures. Tender shrimp and chickpeas are seasoned with a fragrant shawarma spice blend, then roasted alongside carrots and bell pepper until caramelized. A bed of pearl couscous studded with dried apricots soaks up all the delicious juices, while tangy pickled red onion and fresh cilantro add brightness.

A creamy harissa yogurt sauce brings a smoky, spicy kick that ties everything together. This bowl is a satisfying, balanced meal that comes together in under an hour-perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels special.

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Ingredients

1 unit Veggie Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ChickpeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Pearl CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce ShrimpView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon YogurtView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.67 tablespoon Shawarma Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried ApricotsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Harissa PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.13 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in the middle and top positions. Wash and dry all produce. Trim, peel and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Drain and rinse chickpeas, then pat very dry with paper towels. Halve, core and thinly slice bell pepper into strips.
2. On a baking sheet, toss carrots with a large drizzle of oil, 1 teaspoon shawarma spice blend (2 tsp for 4 servings), salt and pepper. On a second baking sheet, toss chickpeas on one side with a large drizzle of oil, 1 teaspoon shawarma spice blend (2 tsp for 4), salt and pepper. On the empty side of that sheet, toss bell pepper with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper.
3. Roast carrots on the middle rack and the chickpeas/bell pepper sheet on the top rack until veggies are browned and tender and chickpeas are crispy, 18-22 minutes. Check after 18 minutes; if carrots finish first, remove and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, halve, peel and thinly slice half the red onion (save the rest for another use). Quarter the lemon. Finely chop cilantro. In a small bowl, combine sliced onion, juice from two lemon wedges, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. Set aside to pickle. In another small bowl, combine yogurt, sour cream, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (½ tsp for 4 servings), a squeeze of lemon juice and harissa powder to taste. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the sauce reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Melt 1 tablespoon butter (2 tbsp for 4 servings) in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add pearl couscous and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes. Add stock concentrate, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4), remaining garlic powder and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until couscous is tender, 6-8 minutes. Keep covered off heat.
6. When veggies and chickpeas are done, stir dried apricots into the couscous; season with salt and pepper. Divide couscous between bowls. Arrange chickpeas, bell pepper and carrots on top in separate sections. Drizzle with harissa yogurt sauce. Top with cilantro and pickled onion (drained). Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different protein instead of shrimp?

Yes, you can substitute shrimp with chicken, tofu or extra chickpeas. Adjust cooking time as needed.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

You can prep the pickled onion and harissa yogurt sauce up to 2 days in advance. Roast the veggies and cook the couscous just before serving for best texture.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Pearl couscous is made from wheat, so it is not gluten-free. Use gluten-free couscous or quinoa as a substitute.