Savory Sausage and Broccolini over Israeli Couscous



We've always been intrigued by Israeli couscous & have been wanting to try it for a while. We found this recipe in the Today's Kitchen Cookboook, similarly to some of our most recent posts. The original recipe called for penne pasta, but we thought it'd be a good recipe to sub the Israeli couscous in. It turned out delicious! Israeli couscous definitely tastes like little pasta balls, more so than regular couscous. The ingredients complimented each other perfectly, they offered just enough flavor so that a traditional pasta sauce was not necessary.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 8 oz. broccolini, chopped (about 6 cups)
  • 1 large leek, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2/3 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
  • 6 oz. Israeli couscous
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Cook couscous according to directions; drain & set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, fill a large skillet with 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil. Add sausage links & cook covered for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cut into 1/2 inch slices once cool enough.
  3. Put sausage back in skillet & cook over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes or until brown. remove sausage from pan & set aside.
  4. Add broccoli, leek, and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring until leek is tender. Stir in sausage, chicken broth, and roasted red peppers. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
  5. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until brocollini is crisp-tender.
  6. Add mixture to pasta. Mix in basil and black pepper. Toss gently to combine. Top with the cheese and serve.

19 comments:

Unknown said...

I love Israel couscous! I never would have thought about substituting it for pasta, but that's brilliant! It does taste just like mini pasta balls. Your dish looks great!

♥peachkins♥ said...

You always have recipes that are bursting of flavor here..

It looks really delicious..

Erica said...

Israeli couscous is awesome. TJs sells a mix of a bundle of grains, including Israeli couscous, that I thin you two would LOVE. Another great looking dish. Hope you have a good weekend.

Esi said...

This looks delicious and so fresh. I have been wanting to experiment with Israeli couscous lately.

Mary Bergfeld said...

What a wonderful recipe. I'm a big fan of Israeli couscous. You done a great job with it here.

grace said...

i've seen israeli couscous on a number of blogs, but i haven't sampled it yet myself. describing it as little pasta balls makes it pretty much irresistible, as does its presentation in this dish. magnificent!

Justin said...

i love this Israeli couscous too (which I'm told is a misnomer, by the way), but it bugs me that my regular supermarkets don't sell it, otherwise I'd buy it every week.

Amanda said...

I've never tried couscous period, let alone Israeli! it really looks good!

lisaiscooking said...

I love Israeli couscous and broccoli, so this sounds fantastic to me!

Leslie said...

a simple dish at its best!

Heather said...

i love israeli couscous. this looks amazing. sausage and broccoli is such a great combo. and as usual, your pictures totally make me drool!

Anonymous said...

you've totally inspired me to try Israeli couscous too. it's next on my must-try list! This dish is just POPPING off the page, it looks So amazing and fresh!

Steph said...

Your dishes always look so good!

Jackie @PhamFatale.com said...

Israeli couscous always brings so much elegance to a dish. There is something festive about this ingredients. Love the pairing with broccolini and sausage. Perfect meal!

Kerstin said...

I always think about getting Israeli couscous when I'm at TJs, but haven't tried it yet for some reason, I totally need to! This looks a perfect weeknight meal - yum!

Creative Classroom Core said...

I love Israeli couscous, although it is difficult to find around here. It has such a great texture. This recipe looks like a great way to use it!

Marc @ NoRecipes said...

Great idea subbing in the Israeli couscous. I've had it a few times at restaurants and love the texture, but I'm sad to say it's not in my pantry yet.

Tyler said...

I have had some Israeli couscous in my pantry for months, and I had no idea what I wanted to do with it! I think I will have to try this recipe. Thanks for posting!

Olga said...

Gorgeous dish! I bet it's super flavorful.

You guys changed your format :( I have to click to see the rest of the post now ;(

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