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–+ servings
Cooked couscous on a round plate, topped with seared salmon fillets and garlic sauce.

Creamy Cheesy Couscous with Pan-Seared Salmon & Garlic Butter Sauce

A soul-warming, creamy couscous dish paired with golden pan-seared salmon and a rich garlic butter sauce. It’s elegant, cozy, and bursting with flavor - the perfect weeknight treat or dinner party centerpiece.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients
  

For the Couscous:
  • 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup pearl couscous
  • 2½ cups vegetable stock hot
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup grated parmesan and Gruyère cheese
  • ½ cup half and half
  • Chopped parsley optional
For the Salmon and Garlic Butter Sauce:
  • 2 salmon fillets 8 oz each, skinless
  • 2 tsp seafood seasoning divided
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp salted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • ½ cup half and half

Method
 

Cook the Couscous:
  1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and couscous. Toast for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until couscous is golden.
  2. Add hot vegetable stock and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to low heat. Cook for 12–15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in half and half and cheeses. Mix until melted and creamy.
Pan-Sear the Salmon:
  1. While couscous cooks, season salmon fillets with 1 tsp of the seafood seasoning. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add salmon and cook 3 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate.
Make the Garlic Butter Sauce:
  1. In the same skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Lower heat, add half and half, remaining seafood seasoning, and dried parsley. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Assemble:
  1. Plate cheesy couscous, top with salmon, and spoon garlic butter sauce over everything. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Video

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