Easy Chorizo Couscous Skillet

This Easy Chorizo Couscous Skillet is a weekday meal packed with delicious pizazz!

You can’t help but love a meal that requires a single pan and cooks in 30 minutes! Chorizo provides a nice kick of heat (but not over-the-top hot.) Couscous, an underrated but fun little pasta, delightfully soaks up the savory onions, garlic, and smoked paprika. Peas and fresh cherry tomatoes add a touch of sweetness to balance the flavor and a pop of color. Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice add brightness, and a scattering of chopped parsley finishes this dish. This is one of my new favorites, which I plan to make often.

Backstory

I get inspiration from many sources but typically don’t look for recipes. Usually, they find me. By that, I mean I stumble upon them like I did this while reading the Sunday paper. The Minnesota Star Tribune has a Sunday Supper column, which I always check out. All the flavors in this recipe appealed to me, so I knew I wanted to try it. I’ve included the link to the original recipe below, which uses regular couscous. I also included cooking instructions for the larger Israeli-style couscous I used.

The Minnesota Star Tribune Sunday Supper recipe.

Easy Chorizo Couscous Skillet

Tips and Tricks

Chorizo-This recipe uses smoked (cured) chorizo, not raw. That will be evident when you see the instructions for cutting it up in two different shapes (which is tough with ground raw sausage). At first, I wasn’t sure why it specified cutting the chorizo into different-sized pieces, but I liked the result. You have the larger, visible slices and small pieces tucked into the dish, providing a nice meaty surprise.

Couscous– As I mentioned, there are two different types of couscous: the tiny, regular-sized style and the larger Israeli style. I prefer the Israeli style, but it’s not easy to find. So, when I spotted it at the grocery store, I grabbed a bag. It takes a few more minutes to simmer, but I think it creates a heartier dish. Either works, and I have included the cooking instructions for both.

Lemon is a vital ingredient in this dish. It calls for both zest and fresh juice, which is a must and peps the flavor profile.

Paprika: You can use plain or smoked paprika for this recipe, but I highly recommend the smoked for the additional flavor.

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Easy Chorizo Couscous Skillet

A quick, easy and flavorful combination of chorizo, couscous, peas and cherry tomatoes with a tang of lemon.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 3

Author: Adapted from Minnesota Star Tribune One-pan Chorizo Couscous

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
• 8 oz. chorizo 2 pieces, one cut into fourths lengthwise, then into pieces ½-in. thick, the other sliced into ¼-in. thick rounds (see Note)
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 1 small red onion peeled, halved and finely sliced
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 c. regular or Israeli-style couscous cooking times vary
• ½ tsp. smoked or regular paprika
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 c. frozen peas
• 1-2 c. low-sodium chicken broth depending on type of couscous
• ¾ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tbsp. lemon zest
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 c. 8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ c. roughly chopped parsley leaves optional

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium–high heat. Cook the chorizo for 3 minutes or until light golden. Add the garlic and onion and cook for a further 2 minutes, until the chorizo is golden and the onion is softened. Turn the stove down to medium. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add the couscous, paprika and pepper and stir for 1 minute to coat the couscous in the tasty oil.

If Using Regular Couscous:

• Add peas, broth and salt and let it come to a simmer. Spread the couscous out evenly. Cover the pan then turn the stove off. Leave the pan on the turned-off stove for 5 minutes to steam-cook the couscous.

If Using Israeli-style Couscous:

• Add broth and salt and let come to a simmer. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, uncovered. Add peas and simmer another 2 minutes.

Continue with Either Couscous:

• Scatter the lemon zest and drizzle the lemon juice over the couscous. Add the cherry tomatoes and toss the mixture together. Spoon into bowls and serve, sprinkled with parsley (if using) and drizzle with some extra olive oil. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and the freezer for 3 months.

Notes

Note: Use cured chorizo—the firm type like salami, which can be sliced and eaten without cooking. Raw chorizo is like uncooked sausage. If you accidentally get raw chorizo, no problems! Squeeze the meat out of the casing and fry it like ground pork, then proceed with the recipe.