This easy Meatball and Couscous Soup recipe combines turkey meatballs, couscous and veggies in a delicious tomato broth. It's flavorful, hearty and ready in just 40 minutes, great for a busy night!
🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Comfort food. This meatball soup is full of comforting flavors and is a great way to warm up on cold winter nights. If you love this soup, you will also enjoy my Instant Pot Tortellini Soup and Instant Pot Minestrone.
- One pan meal. This soup is made in one pot on the stove which makes for easy cleanup.
- Healthy weeknight dinner. It's healthy, flavorful and hearty. The perfect meal to make on chilly nights or prepare as meal prep for the week.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
- Meatballs- the recipe calls for homemade turkey meatballs. However, you can use your meat of choice (beef, sausage, pork, etc.) or use premade fresh or frozen meatballs.
- Tomatoes- you will need a can of crushed tomatoes for the soup. If you are a fan of tomato-based soups, try my roasted tomato soup next!
- Couscous- I recommend using pearl couscous. You can also use a small pasta such as ditalini or orzo. If you're a fan of couscous, you may also enjoy my Couscous Stuffed Peppers.
- Spinach- I love adding spinach to soups for some extra veggies. Kale would also be a great option here.
See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.
🔪Instructions
- Make the meatballs and brown them. Form the meatballs and brown them in a pot for a few minutes.
- Start the soup. Begin by softening the veggies for a few minutes. Then, add the remaining ingredients, including the meatballs.
- Simmer and cook. Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes until the orzo is cooked.
- Let sit and serve. Add the spinach to the pot, cover and let it wilt for a few minutes. Serve immediately with your favorite bread.
💭Recipe FAQs
Yes, this soup can be frozen in freezer-safe containers. Make sure you let it cool completely before freezing.
I recommend freezing the soup without the couscous and adding it later when you reheat.
Yes! If you want to cut down on prep time, use premade meatballs. Premade meatballs should be browned as described in the recipe card below.
For frozen meatballs, skip right to the u0022Soupu0022 directions. Simmer the meatballs in the soup for 15 minutes.
Yes, you can add the meatballs to the soup raw and skip the browning. Just make sure the soup simmers long enough that the meatballs are cooked through.
I do recommend browning the meatballs, however, as this adds additional flavor.
👩🏻🍳Chef Tips
- This meatball soup makes about 6 servings. If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup is excellent for lunch the next day!
- Reheat the soup over medium heat. You may need to add a little more liquid (broth or water).
- When stored in the fridge, the couscous will soak up a lot of the liquid. I recommend adding a little more broth or water before reheating.
🥗Serving
This soup is full of everything you need for a complete meal so it is great as is but you can serve it with Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Frozen Broccoli if you want more vegetables.
Easy Soup Recipes
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📋 Recipe
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Easy Meatball and Couscous Soup Recipe
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Soup
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup pearled couscous
- 1 (10 ounce) bag of spinach
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Meatballs
- Add all of the meatball ingredients, aside from the oil, to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together. Form the meatballs and then roll them in between the palm of your hands. Each meatball should be about 1 ½ tablespoons and you want between 20-24 meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides for about 8 minutes. Remove the meatballs and set aside for later.
Soup
- Add the onions, carrots and celery to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- To the pot, add the minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and chicken broth.
- Add the meatballs back in along with the couscous. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir, cover, bring it to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach, cover and let the soup sit for about 5 minutes.
- Serve with crusty bread, if desired and enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- This meatball soup makes about 6 servings. If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup is excellent for lunch the next day!
- Reheat the soup over medium heat. You may need to add a little more liquid (broth or water).
- When stored in the fridge, the couscous will soak up a lot of the liquid. I recommend adding a little more broth or water before reheating.
The cookbook is packed with easy-to-follow recipes that require only 6 ingredients to help you simplify your weeknights. Includes kitchen tips, ingredient swaps & grocery lists!
Lilly says
YUM! I often struggle with getting enough flavor into my soups and broths but this one is jam-packed with flavor. Especially love the meatballs in this soup! 10/10 would make again!
Sarah Holt says
Hi Lilly, thanks so much for the review, very happy you enjoyed it!