Couscous vs. Orzo — What's the Difference?

Can be used in salads, side dishes, or main courses.

Commonly used in Italian and Mediterranean dishes.

Traditional in North African cuisine, often paired with robust flavors.

Requires boiling until it is al dente, similar to other pastas.

Requires steaming or soaking in hot water to prepare.

A form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice.

A small, round grain made from semolina or wheat flour.

Typically made from semolina flour, but can be found in whole wheat versions.

Known for its light, fluffy texture when cooked properly.

Ideal for soups, salads, and as a side dish.

Couscous is a North African dish of small (about 3 millimetres (0.12 in) in diameter) steamed balls of crushed durum wheat semolina that is traditionally served with a stew spooned on top. Pearl millet and sorghum, especially in the Sahel, and other cereals can be cooked in a similar way and the resulting dishes are also sometimes called couscous.

Orzo (, Italian: [ˈɔrdzo]; from Italian for ''barley'', from Latin hordeum), also known as risoni (pronounced [riˈzoːni]; 'large [grains of] rice'), is a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice. Orzo is traditionally made from white flour, but it can also be made of whole grain.

A pasta of North African origin made of semolina or other grains, formed into small pellets and usually steamed.

A pasta shaped like grains of rice, frequently used in soups.

A North African dish consisting of this pasta served with stewed vegetables or meat.

A form of pasta the size and shape of grains of rice or barley; often used in soups.

A pasta of North African origin made of crushed and steamed semolina.

Pasta shaped like pearls of barley; frequently prepared with lamb in Greek cuisine.

A kind of food used by the natives of Western Africa, made of millet flour with flesh, and leaves of the baobab; - called also lalo.

Pasta shaped like pearls of barley; frequently prepared with lamb in Greek cuisine

A spicy dish that originated in northern Africa; consists of pasta steamed with a meat and vegetable stew

A pasta made in northern Africa of crushed and steamed semolina

Orzo is boiled in water for about 8-10 minutes until it reaches an al dente texture.

Couscous is a type of North African semolina in granules made from crushed durum wheat.

Couscous works well in stews, salads, and as a side dish to absorb flavors.

Orzo is great in soups, risottos, and pasta salads.

Couscous and orzo are similar in calories, but whole grain versions of both offer more nutrients.

Couscous is typically steamed or soaked in boiling water until it becomes fluffy.

Orzo can be flavored with sauces, seasonings, and ingredients it is cooked with.

Yes, couscous can substitute for orzo in some dishes, though the texture and flavor will differ.

Yes, couscous easily absorbs flavors from spices, herbs, and liquids it is cooked or mixed with.

Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta commonly used in Italian cooking.

Traditional orzo is not gluten-free as it is made from wheat flour, but gluten-free versions are available.

Orzo offers a moderate amount of protein, similar to other forms of pasta.

Couscous can be prepared in about 5-10 minutes by soaking it in hot water.

Orzo takes about 8-10 minutes to cook in boiling water.

Technically, couscous is a pasta made from semolina flour, though it resembles grains in its uncooked form.