The best pot for couscous for nonstick cooking

There is not a lot to cooking couscous but you can still make your life easier if you use the proper method and cooking utensils. Some people prefer to just work with a bowl, boil the water in a kettle or a pot and pour it over the couscous to steam it away from the stove. But that’s not the only way.

Ceramic cookware has long been the golden standard when preparing vegetables and meat. But it works equally well with couscous. With nonstick abilities, superb heat retention, and beautiful designs, modern ceramic cookware has much to offer.

Some people have questions about this type of cookware. In this post, we will look at the best pot for couscous for breezy nonstick cooking. 

What is Ceramic Cookware?

High-quality ceramic cookware is made with 100% natural clay. It’s free of metals and chemical toxins, which makes it one of the cleanest, healthiest ways to prepare food.

However, it is different from, ceramic-coated cookware, which is made of metal and glazed with multiple layers of ceramic coating. This coating is slick to prevent food from sticking. And it evenly distributes heat over the cooking area, from the center to the edges. It provides benefits such as high heat searing and even cooking.

Traditional nonstick cookware is coated with a substance known as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). PTFE is effective but degrades when heated beyond 500F. At extreme temperatures, PTFE releases dangerous fumes.

The best pot for couscous

Couscous has traditionally been prepared in a special ceramic pot. Or to be specific – a tagine, or “tajine”. This is a traditional Moroccan cooking pot made of ceramic or unglazed clay with a round base and low sides. Its cover is cone-shaped which makes this cooking pot distinguishable. The conical lid traps steam during cooking and returns the liquid to the clay pot, this results in a moist dish with concentrated flavors, great smell oh and lots of sauce!

The earthy pot is closely associated with Moroccan cuisine, where slow-cooked savory stews made with meat, poultry, or fish, are cooked with vegetables, grains, couscous and aromatic spices, dried fruit, and nuts. However, you can also choose to cook pretty much and stew in the clay pot!

Tagine or Couscoussier?

Another pot speciality made for couscous preparation is the couscoussier. This is a type of cookware which allows a cook to steam couscous while preparing the stew which will be served atop it. It looks very much like an over-sized double boiler, except that the top piece is a large steaming basket with holes in the bottom. Inexpensive, lightweight aluminum couscoussiers are most prevalent in Morocco, but clay and stainless steel ones are also available.

No matter the pot, be careful not to overcook your couscous! Have a look at our guide of the 5 couscous cooking mistakes to avoid to prepare a nice and fluffy couscous.