Couscous with meatballs by Denny Imbroisi: a comforting dish everyone loves

When Denny Imbroisi shares a recipe, food lovers pay attention. His take on couscous pairs soft, spiced meatballs with tender vegetables and fragrant broth. The result is a hearty, comforting dish built for sharing.

Ingredients for six people: everything you need

• For the meatballs:

  • 600 g ground veal
  • 400 g ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled
  • 6 slices crustless white sandwich bread
  • 200 g milk
  • 1 drizzle olive oil
  • 2 tbsp ras el hanout
  • Salt and black pepper

• For the vegetables and broth:

  • 2 large carrots
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 yellow zucchini
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 tsp ras el hanout
  • 1 small mild chili pepper
  • 100 g dried chickpeas

• For the couscous:

  • 300 g medium semolina
  • 400 ml warm water
  • 1 drizzle olive oil
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Half a bunch flat-leaf parsley

Step-by-step: prepare the chickpeas and meatballs

1. Soak the chickpeas the night before. Cover with plenty of cold water and leave about 12 hours.
2. Finely chop the yellow onion and sweat it in a little olive oil until soft and slightly translucent.
3. Soak the bread slices in the milk until softened. Squeeze lightly to remove excess milk.
4. Place the bread, both minced meats, the cooked onion and ras el hanout in a large bowl.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Work the mix by hand until fully combined and smooth.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment.
7. Shape the mixture into balls of about 80 g each. Arrange them on the tray in a single layer.
8. Bake for 15 minutes. Then transfer meatballs to a hot skillet to brown the outside briefly.

Vegetables and broth: building flavor

Preparing the produce

• Wash all vegetables. Peel the carrots and cut them into chunks.
• Dice the eggplant and yellow zucchini into similar-sized pieces.
• Roughly chop the red onion and slice the mild chili.

Cooking the vegetables

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 tsp ras el hanout and the chili.
2. Drop in the carrots first and cook 4 minutes to start softening them.
3. Add zucchini, eggplant, red onion and drained chickpeas. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes.
4. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon. Keep the cooking liquid on the stove.
5. Bring the broth to a medium boil and reduce until its volume is about half. This concentrates the flavor.

Semolina and final assembly

1. Place the semolina in a wide, shallow bowl. Pour the warm water and a drizzle of olive oil over it.
2. Add a pinch of salt. Cover and let sit 10 minutes to absorb the liquid.
3. Fluff the grains with a fork to separate the granules and avoid lumps.
4. Spread the semolina across a serving platter.
5. Arrange the cooked vegetables on top, then place the browned meatballs evenly around them.
6. Chop the parsley and scatter it over the dish for freshness and color.
7. Serve at once with the hot reduced broth in a jug, so guests can spoon it over their portions.

Quick tips to improve the dish

• Timing: soak chickpeas ahead to avoid delays.
• Use room-temperature milk for the bread to mix smoothly into the meat.
• Ras el hanout brings warmth. Adjust quantity to taste.
• For a smokier note, roast eggplant first on a hot pan.
• Keep the broth hot. It makes the semolina juicier when served.

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Sienna Blake

Sienna curates soulful lifestyle content with a focus on intentional living, slow habits, and modern creativity. Her voice blends beauty, function, and joy.