Couscous, the national dish of the North African countries of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, is a form of pasta.  Both are made from semolina wheat flour, both may be whole grain or not, and both are used in similar ways in recipes and meals. Compare the nutrients in couscous and spaghetti to see their similarities.  Note, however, that in the US, pasta contains more iron because it is enriched.  In this example, spaghetti contains more calories but that is probably due to the space between pasta bits left in the measuring cup than with the difference between the foods.