Israeli Couscous & Meatballs

1. Prepare Meatball Mixture

Preheat your oven to the high broiler setting while you prepare the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, eggs, grated onion, breadcrumbs, za’atar, salt, and grated cheese. Mix everything together until well combined but do not overmix.

2. Broil Meatballs

Form small meatballs from the mixture and arrange them on a sheet pan. Drizzle the meatballs with olive oil, then place the pan under the broiler. Broil the meatballs for about 5 minutes, or until they are browned.

3. Toast Couscous

On a separate sheet pan, spread out the Israeli couscous and toast it in the oven at 400ºF for about 7 minutes, until it turns golden.

4. Prepare Sauce

In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and finely chopped ginger, cooking them for about 2 minutes until they are fragrant and just beginning to turn golden.

5. Add Tomatoes and Spices

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, North African Spice Blend, and sugar into the skillet with the garlic and ginger. Mix well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

6. Cook Couscous in Sauce

Pour in 2 cups of water and bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling, add the toasted couscous to the sauce, cover the skillet, and let it cook for about 10 minutes.

7. Combine Meatballs with Sauce

Once the couscous is tender, gently add the broiled meatballs into the sauce. Let them warm through for about 5 minutes, ensuring that the meatballs soak up some of the delicious sauce.

8. Serve

Serve the Israeli Couscous & Meatballs hot, with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top for an extra layer of flavor.