Moroccan Meatball and Couscous Soup
Updated Jul 12, 2024, Published on Nov 28, 2022
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This Moroccan Meatball and Couscous Soup is the seventh recipe in my Fall Soup Series! It's loaded with flavorful meatballs and couscous. It's a little spicy and very herbaceous. I used fresh parsley and fresh mint to serve, but add whatever fresh herbs you enjoy!
Fall Soup Series
Be sure to check out the other soup recipes in my Fall Soup Series as well!
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Orzo Soup
- Easy Tomato Soup
- Peanut Butter Miso Noodle Soup
- Chicken Tikka Masala Soup
- Pesto Orzo White Bean Soup
- Pumpkin Bacon Soup
Moroccan Meatball and Couscous Soup Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb Ground Beef I used 93% Lean Ground Beef; can substitute ground meat of your choice
- 2 tbsp Harissa
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley finely chopped
- 1/4 Yellow Onion finely chopped
- Seasoning Mixture see below
Seasoning Mixture
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1 tsp Salt
Soup
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3/4 Yellow Onion chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Harissa Paste optional; to taste
- 6 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Pearl Couscous
- 1 Lime
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fresh Parsley and Mint roughly chopped to serve
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Seasoning Mixture
- Combine all seasonings in a bowl. Set aside.
Meatballs
- Combine ground beef, harissa paste, seasoning mixture, fresh parsley, and 1/4 of a yellow onion. Use hands to combine well.
- Form into meatballs. This makes about 32 meatballs.
- Place meatballs on a lightly-oiled baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.
Soup
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add 3/4 of a yellow onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Optionally, add harissa paste, stir to combine, and cook 2 more minutes.
- Pour in chicken broth and add baked meatballs. Bring to a boil and add pearl couscous. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the couscous is cooked. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime. Season to tate with salt and pepper.
- Divide among bowls and serve with fresh chopped parsley and mint.
Did you try this Moroccan Meatball and Couscous Soup? Leave a Review!
This Moroccan Meatball and Couscous Soup is a delightful dish with its flavorful meatballs, aromatic spices, and herbaceous finish. This recipe is a perfect comfort meal on a chilly day or easy to whip up a big batch of to serve your family.
If you try this recipe, feel free to rate/leave a review. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!
Moroccan Meatball and Couscous Soup
This soup is loaded with flavorful meatballs and couscous. It's a little spicy and very herbaceous.
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb Ground Beef, I used 93% Lean Ground Beef; can substitute ground meat of your choice
- 2 tablespoon Harissa Paste
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 Yellow Onion, finely chopped
Seasoning Mixture
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Ginger Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Soup
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3/4 Yellow Onion, chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Harissa Paste, optional; to taste
- 6 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Pearl Couscous
- 1 Lime
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
- Fresh Parsley and Mint, roughly chopped to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Seasoning Mixture
- Combine all seasonings in a bowl. Set aside.
Meatballs
- Combine ground beef, harissa paste, fresh parsley, 1/4 of a yellow onion, and all of the ingredients from the seasoning mixture section. Use hands to combine well.
- Form into meatballs. This makes about 32 meatballs.
- Place meatballs on a lightly-oiled baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.
Soup
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add 3/4 of a yellow onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Optionally, add harissa paste, stir to combine, and cook 2 more minutes.
- Pour in chicken broth and add baked meatballs. Bring to a boil and add pearl couscous. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the couscous is cooked. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime. Season to tate with salt and pepper.
- Divide among bowls and serve with fresh chopped parsley and mint.
Video
@carolbeecooks Who’s ready for a new soup recipe? 🥣 Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup coming tomorrow! #couscous #soup #moroccan
♬ original sound - Carolyn | Easy Recipes
Nutrition
Calories: 443kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 927mg, Potassium: 931mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 582IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
I made this as meal prep for lunches for the work week and it was absolutely delicious. I’m really looking forward to eating it all week long, which is rare to say about a meal prep!
Sounds like a great week of eating! Thanks for trying it out. So glad you enjoyed!
Absolutely delicious flavor. I had a sweet potato on hand that I wanted to use so I diced that and added with the onion. I also doubled the seasoning mix and used some on the onion/sweet potato. I found the meatballs to be a little cumbersome to eat, I would probably make them smaller (closer to 48 meatballs rather than 32) and add them at the end of the cooking time. But I would definitely make this again!
Another phenomenal recipe that we’ll be cooking again sometime soon. So simple and flavorful. We opted to add more harissa to the soup, which definitely pushed the hot/spicy to the upper limits, so might skip that option next time and just rely on the hot/spicy of the meatballs. For our leftover meal the second night we added a bit of plain greek yogurt to tame the spice a bit and make the soup creamy. We also used some Naan for dipping. This was a huge hit!
How many calories per serving and what is the serving size ?
I think this would serve 4 people as a main course without anything else on the side. I haven’t calculated the calories, sorry!
I made this tonight, and it was fantastic! I followed the recipe as written. The Harissa I found had both mild and spicy options. I opted for mild, but the next time I make it, going to go for more heat. Will definitely be making again!
This looks delicious can’t wait to try! Can I ask how many this recipe serves??
Thank you! Oops, just added a serving size! I think it would serve 4-6 people depending on hunger level and what you serve with it. I hope you enjoy!
Hi, did you use low sodium chicken broth or regular?
I use low sodium roasted chicken Better Than Bouillon Paste with water! I like it beause you can control how much paste you add and it takes up a lot less room in the fridge/pantry than cartons or cans of broth.