Spiced Beef and Chickpea Tagine-Inspired Casserole with Green Beans and Couscous

A richly spiced, savory beef and chickpea casserole baked until tender, served alongside fluffy couscous and crisp green beans for a comforting, authentic meal.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 55 min
• Total: 1 hr 15 min
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: Moroccan
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.61/serving

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber
• Halal
• Kosher

Tags

• bake
• roast
• comfort food
• spicy
• savory
• healthy

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (85/15 lean)
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 3 clove garlic clove (minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce, undrained)
• 1 can chickpeas (15 ounce, rinsed and drained)
• 0.5 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup whole wheat couscous (uncooked)
• 1.5 cup water
• 1 pound green beans (trimmed)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess grease.
3. Add the chopped yellow onion, minced garlic cloves, and grated fresh ginger to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onion is softened.
4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, rinsed and drained chickpeas, beef broth, ground cumin, paprika, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
5. Once simmering, cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes.
6. While the casserole bakes, prepare the whole wheat couscous: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water or vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in the couscous, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
7. Steam or lightly sauté the trimmed fresh green beans with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes.
8. Remove the casserole from the oven. Ladle the spiced beef and chickpea mixture over the couscous and serve with the green beans on the side. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

This casserole reheats beautifully, making it excellent for meal prep. Store cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days. For extra flavor, a squeeze of fresh orange juice can be added before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 580
• Protein: 42.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 58.7 g
• Fat: 20.3 g
• Fiber: 16.5 g
• Sodium: 880 mg
• Saturated Fat: 6.8 g
• Sugar: 9.4 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg