Italian Sausage and Pearl Couscous Soup

This Italian Sausage and Pearl Couscous Soup is the pot I want on the stove the second it gets cold out. Browned chicken sausage, a silky white wine and Parmigiano Reggiano broth, and chewy little pearls of couscous in every spoonful.

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Ingredient Notes

Italian Chicken Sausage: It is leaner than pork sausage, but it still brings that fennel-and-herb flavor that seasons the whole pot. The browned bits it leaves on the bottom of the pan are what the wine lifts up later, so do not wipe them out. I do the same thing in my Creamy Mascarpone Sausage Pasta.

Butter and Flour: Butter and flour cooked with the vegetables are what make this soup creamy. The flour thickens the broth, so the milk turns it silky instead of thin.

Pearl Couscous: The larger pearls stay plump and a little chewy instead of dissolving into mush the way regular couscous would. They also soak up the creamy broth as they cook. If you like pearl couscous, my Pearl Couscous Tabbouleh is a fresher way to use it.

Dry White Wine: A quarter cup deglazes the pot and adds a bright acidity that cuts through the cream and sausage. Use something you would drink. No wine? See the swap below.

Whole Milk and Chicken Bone Broth: The milk keeps the soup creamy and the broth keeps it savory. Together, they give you a soup that is rich but not heavy.

Italian Seasoning and Red Pepper Flakes: Italian seasoning gives the soup its herby backbone, and the red pepper flakes add a gentle warmth. Use less if anyone at your table is spice-sensitive. My Mediterranean herbs and spices guide covers more ways to use them.

Baby Kale or Spinach: Two cups stirred in at the very end add color, a little freshness, and some greens. Spinach wilts almost instantly. Baby kale holds a bit more texture.

⭐️ Recipe

Italian Sausage and Pearl Couscous Soup

This Italian Sausage and Pearl Couscous Soup is the pot I want on the stove the second it gets cold out. Browned chicken sausage, a silky white wine and Parmigiano Reggiano broth, and chewy little pearls of couscous in every spoonful.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: pearled couscous

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 491kcal

Author: Lola Jay

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 lb Italian chicken sausage casings removed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium white onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 medium carrots diced (or 1.5 cups baby carrots, chopped)
• 5 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• ¼ cup dry white wine or ¼ cup extra chicken broth plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 6 cups chicken bone broth or regular chicken broth. Bone broth just add extra protein.
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• ½ tablespoon chicken bouillon
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes less if sensitive to spice
• 8 oz pearl couscous
• 2 cups baby kale or fresh spinach
• 1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind optional

To serve

• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Fresh basil
• Red pepper flakes

Instructions 

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Brown the sausage

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the crumbled chicken sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces, for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and cooked all the way through. Transfer to a bowl, cover to keep warm, and leave the browned bits in the pot.
  1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 lb Italian chicken sausage
  

Cook the vegetables

• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the diced onion, red pepper, and carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until they start to soften.
  3 tbsp butter, 1 medium white onion, 1 red bell pepper, 2 medium carrots
  
• Sprinkle in the flour and add the crushed garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the flour disappears into the vegetables and smells fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
  5 tbsp all purpose flour, 4 garlic cloves
  

Build the soup

• Keep the heat at medium and pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds.
  ¼ cup dry white wine
  
• Add the chicken broth, milk, bouillon, Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper flakes, and the Parmigiano Reggiano rind if using. Raise the heat to medium-high, bring to a gentle boil, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth looks slightly thickened and creamy.
  6 cups chicken bone broth, 1.5 cups whole milk, ½ tbsp chicken bouillon, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, 1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind
  

Add the sausage, couscous and greens

• Return the sausage to the pot.
  
• Add the pearl couscous and stir. Keep the soup at a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pearls are plump and tender.
  8 oz pearl couscous
  
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the baby kale or spinach and simmer for 2 minutes, until wilted. Remove the rind if you used one. Taste and adjust the salt.
  2 cups baby kale or fresh spinach
  

Serve

• Ladle into bowls. Top with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh basil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
  Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, Fresh basil, Red pepper flakes
  

Made this recipe? Click to RATE IT! it helps alot 🙂

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Notes

Nutrition facts are only estimates.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The couscous keeps absorbing broth, so add a splash of chicken broth and reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring, until it loosens.

Nutrition

Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1137mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5319IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg

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