Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup Recipe: A Flavorful Delight

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Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup is a delicious, flavor-filled dish featuring baked ground beef meatballs and pearl couscous in a simple garlic/shallot broth. This soup is a delightful combination of warm spices and hearty ingredients, perfect for a comforting meal.

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Do you like meatballs in soup? One popular choice is Albondigas Soup, which has traditional Southwestern flavors. This Moroccan meatball couscous soup, using pearl couscous, offers a unique and flavorful alternative.

The tiny meatballs, made with ground beef or lamb, are mixed with a variety of Moroccan spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, chili powder, and curry powder. These spices create a wonderful depth of flavor that will knock your socks off!

Ingredients

For Meatballs:

  • 1½ pounds ground beef (or lamb)
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon curry powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For Soup:

  • 8 ounces Israeli (pearl) couscous
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil for toasting couscous
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil for cooking shallots/garlic
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 4 cups chicken broth (may substitute vegetable broth)
  • 3¾ cups water, divided
  • Chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish (optional)

How to Make Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup

Meatball and Couscous Soup

The soup is very easy to make. Here’s how:

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Step 1: Prepare the Meatballs

  1. Preheat your oven to 375° F (190°C) and place a rack in the middle. Line a 13x9 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix spices for the meatballs in a small bowl.
  3. Place the ground beef (or lamb) in a medium bowl. Add the spice mix and tomato paste to the meat.
  4. Mix thoroughly with clean hands until completely blended.
  5. For each meatball, use a rounded teaspoon of meat. Roll meat between hands to form a small meatball (approximately 40-45 total).
  6. Place meatballs onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the meat is gone.
  7. Place meatballs into the oven on the middle rack. Bake at 375° F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes, until fully cooked through.
  8. When done, remove baking sheet from the oven and set aside.

Step 2: Cook the Couscous

While the meatballs are baking, you can cook the Israeli (pearl) couscous. For this recipe, the couscous is lightly "dry toasted" first, then cooked.

  1. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium heat in a saucepan.
  2. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the pearl couscous. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally while it lightly "toasts". Lightly “toasting” the couscous helps develop a slightly nutty flavor.
  3. Add 1¾ cups of water and a pinch of salt to the toasted couscous.
  4. Let the water come to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, and cover the pan.
  5. Cook couscous for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the water has been fully absorbed.
  6. Remove pan from heat and set aside when done.

Step 3: Combine and Simmer

  1. Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil on medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.
  2. Add minced garlic and chopped shallots to the hot oil. Cook, stirring often, for one minute.
  3. Add the chicken (or vegetable) broth to the pot, along with 2 more cups of water. Bring liquid to a boil.
  4. Reduce the heat to low; carefully add meatballs and cooked couscous to the hot broth.
  5. Simmer the soup (uncovered) on low heat for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Serve

  1. Once the soup is finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat.
  2. Taste test the broth. If you find more salt or pepper is necessary to suit your taste, add it.
  3. Ladle the hot soup into individual serving bowls.
  4. To serve, garnish each bowl of soup with chopped fresh flat leaf parsley.

Tips and Variations

  • Meat Options: Feel free to use ground lamb instead of ground beef for a more authentic Moroccan flavor.
  • Couscous Substitutes: If you can't find pearl couscous, acini de pepe or orzo can be used as alternatives. Adjust cooking times accordingly.
  • Broth Variations: Chicken stock can be swapped with beef stock, veal stock, or vegetable broth based on your preference.
  • Spice Adjustments: Adjust the amount of chili powder to control the level of spiciness.

Nutritional Information

Here's an overview of the nutritional content per serving:

Nutrient Amount Per Serving (1 g) % Daily Value*
Calories 360
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 5g 31%
Cholesterol 57mg 19%
Sodium 667mg 29%
Potassium 449mg 13%
Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 20g 40%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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tags: #Moroccan