Free couscous serving calculator. Enter servings to find the dry couscous in grams and the hot water in millilitres you need for couscous.
Your results will appear here.
Enter your values and press Calculate.
Enter servings. This calculator allows 60 grams of dry couscous and 60 millilitres of hot water per serving.
How much couscous per person in grams is answered consistently across competitors: 60 grams of dry couscous per person for a side dish, matching the Cookipedia table exactly and matching this calculator. A couscous side dish portion per person is therefore 60 grams dry, while a couscous main course portion per person is larger, about 115 grams dry. A salad base portion is about 87 grams dry, a buffet side is about 45 grams dry, and a kids portion is about 33 grams dry. Use the standard 60 gram figure for a mixed table, and scale up for a main course where couscous is the centre of the plate.
Couscous to water ratio is where guides disagree, so this needs a straight answer. This calculator uses 60 grams of dry couscous and 60 millilitres of hot water per serving, a 1 to 1 ratio by weight, matching the method on The Cinnamon Jar (1 cup couscous to 1 cup boiled water, rest 10 minutes, fluff). Most other competitors use a 1 to 1.5 ratio: 60 grams dry to 90 millilitres water, or 1 cup dry to 1.5 cups water. If you like softer, plumper couscous, use 90 millilitres per serving instead of 60. The difference is texture, not correctness, and both ratios appear in reputable guides. In short, 60g couscous needs 60 millilitres of hot water at the calculator ratio, or 90 millilitres at the softer ratio.
Moroccan couscous ratio is 1.5 parts water to 1 part dry couscous by volume, giving about 2.5 times the cooked volume. Whole wheat couscous uses the same 1.5 to 1 ratio. Pearl couscous ratio (also called Israeli couscous ratio) is higher: about 1.75 parts water to 1 part dry, giving about 2.75 times the volume, and it is cooked covered like a small pasta rather than just steamed. Lebanese couscous ratio is 2 parts water to 1 part dry, giving about 3 times the volume. For pearl and Lebanese types, use the type ratio above, not the 1 to 1 calculator ratio, since larger pearls absorb more water.
Dry to cooked couscous conversion is simple once you know the yield. Cooked couscous yield dry is about 2 to 2.5 times the dry volume for instant couscous, and about 2.5 to 3 times for traditional couscous. By weight, 100g dry couscous cooked weight is about 175 grams on one conversion table, so it does not double in weight. Couscous cups to grams conversions: 1 tablespoon is about 11 grams, 1/4 cup about 43 grams, 1/3 cup about 58 grams, 1/2 cup about 87 grams, and 1 cup about 173 grams. One cup dry yields about 528 grams cooked on a nutrition table, which is about 3 cups cooked.
How much couscous for 10 people? At the calculator rate, 10 servings need 600 grams of dry couscous and 600 millilitres of hot water. How much couscous for 20 people? Twenty servings need 1200 grams and 1200 millilitres. Four servings need 240 grams and 240 millilitres. For a party, a couscous for a crowd example from competitors is about 4 cups uncooked couscous yielding about 8 cups cooked, enough for 10 to 12 people as a side dish where other foods are served. A party size salad for 20 servings uses about 3 packs of couscous mix plus vegetables, olives, feta, and dressing.
One portion table covers every context competitors split across pages. Side dish: 1/3 cup (60 grams) dry, 3/4 cup (150 grams) cooked, 1/2 cup (118 millilitres) water per person at the competitor 1 to 1.5 ratio. Main course: 2/3 cup (115 grams) dry, 1.5 cups (300 grams) cooked, 1 cup (237 millilitres) water. Salad base: 1/2 cup (87 grams) dry, 1.25 cups (225 grams) cooked, 3/4 cup (177 millilitres) water. Buffet side: 1/4 cup (45 grams) dry, 2/3 cup (112 grams) cooked, 3/8 cup (89 millilitres) water. Kids under 12: 3 tablespoons (33 grams) dry, 1/3 cup (80 grams) cooked, 1/4 cup (65 millilitres) water.
Why is my couscous mushy or gummy? Usually too much water, stirring while it steams, or covering it while it is still very hot so it keeps cooking. Fix it by using the measured water, resting it covered for 5 to 10 minutes without stirring, then learning how to fluff couscous with a fork: rake the fork gently through the grains to separate them, add a tablespoon of oil if needed, and serve at once. Can you use stock instead of water? Yes, stock adds flavour and is the standard swap in most guides, and cooking in broth works the same way. Stir the dry mix before measuring if you use a seasoned mix, since flavouring settles at the bottom of the packet.
Can you make couscous ahead of time? Yes, cook it, cool it fast for salads, and refrigerate it. How long does cooked couscous last in the fridge? Up to 5 days, and up to 3 months in the freezer. How to store cooked couscous: cool it within 2 hours, pack it airtight, and reheat with a splash of water. Is couscous gluten free? No, couscous is pasta made from semolina wheat, so it contains gluten, and it is not suitable for coeliac diets. Is couscous healthy? A portion from 60 grams dry contains about 226 calories, about 46 grams of carbohydrate, just over 7 grams of protein, and about 0.38 grams of fat. What is giant couscous? Giant couscous, also called pearl couscous, is a larger, chewier pasta pearl, cooked with more water than fine Moroccan couscous.
About 60 grams of dry couscous per person for a side dish, about 115 grams for a main course, and about 33 grams for a child under 12.
This calculator uses 1 to 1: 60 grams dry to 60 millilitres hot water per serving. Most other guides use 1 to 1.5, or 90 millilitres per 60 grams, for softer couscous.
At the calculator ratio, 60 millilitres per serving. For softer grains, use 90 millilitres per serving. Pearl couscous needs about 1.75 parts water to 1 part dry.
No, not quite. One hundred grams of dry couscous weighs about 175 grams when cooked on one conversion table, and 1 cup dry yields about 528 grams cooked.
About 3/4 cup (150 grams) cooked per person as a side dish, about 1.5 cups (300 grams) as a main course, and about 1/3 cup (80 grams) for a child.
Usually too much water or stirring while it steams. Use measured water, rest it covered without stirring, then fluff gently with a fork.
Yes. Cook it, cool it fast for salads, and refrigerate it for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Yes, stock is the standard flavour swap and cooks exactly like water. Broth also works, and it suits seasoned mixes well.
No. Couscous is pasta made from semolina wheat, so it contains gluten and is not suitable for coeliac diets.
Use the pearl ratio of about 1.75 parts water to 1 part dry, cook covered, avoid stirring while cooking, and toss with a little oil after fluffing so the pearls do not turn sticky.