A couscoussière is a two-part steamer pot used to cook couscous the traditional way: a deep bottom pot holds a simmering broth or stew, and a perforated insert sits on top so the couscous steams in the rising vapor instead of sitting in liquid. It originated in the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya) and remains the standard tool for hand-steaming couscous in North African kitchens.
The broth in the bottom pot is often built from meat, vegetables, and spices, and the couscous absorbs its aroma as it steams, gaining flavor without becoming waterlogged. Traditional couscoussières are ceramic or metal; modern versions add heat-resistant glass or silicone, which make it easier to watch the couscous as it cooks.
Beyond couscous, the same pot doubles as a general steamer for vegetables, fish, or small cuts of meat.