Lemony Broccoli and Chicken Sausage Soup with Pearl Couscous

This one-pot soup is the perfect weeknight dinner: hearty, bright and packed with flavor. Juicy chicken sausage, tender broccoli, sweet carrots and pearl couscous simmer in a garlicky broth, then get a luxurious swirl of crème fraîche and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The result is a comforting bowl with a tangy finish that will have you coming back for more.

Best of all, it comes together in just one pot and about 25 minutes, making it an easy, high-protein meal for busy evenings. Serve it with a sprinkle of scallion greens for a pop of color and freshness.

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Ingredients

9 ounce Italian Chicken Sausage MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce BroccoliView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Crème FraîcheView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Israeli CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Trim, peel and halve carrots lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise into half-moons. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.
2. Remove sausage from casing if necessary; discard casing. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage, carrots and scallion whites; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.
3. Add garlic powder to pot with sausage and veggies; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in 3¼ cups water (6½ cups for 4 servings), couscous and stock concentrates, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook until couscous is tender, 4-5 minutes. (You’ll add more to the pot in Step 5.)
4. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. Zest and quarter lemon.
5. Once soup has simmered 4-5 minutes, add broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove soup from heat; stir in crème fraîche, a squeeze of lemon juice (big squeeze for 4 servings) and as much lemon zest as you like. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if desired.
6. Divide soup between bowls and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of sausage?

Yes, you can substitute with any fully cooked sausage, such as pork or turkey sausage. Just adjust cooking time as needed.

What can I use instead of crème fraîche?

Sour cream or Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute, though the flavor will be slightly tangier. Add it off the heat to prevent curdling.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, the soup can be made a day in advance. The couscous will absorb some liquid, so you may need to add a little water or broth when reheating.