053 / 75 · One Pan, Less Washing Up

Sausage, Broccoli Rabe and Giant Couscous

2 substantial bowls · Active 20 min · Total 45 min

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Giant couscous cooks like a small pasta and gives this one-pan supper a pleasantly chewy base. Fully cooked chicken sausage supplies a savory note, while broccoli rabe brings a leafy bitterness that lemon can brighten. The stems and leaves enter at different times so both finish tender. This is a useful meal when you want a proper bowl of food but do not want a separate pasta pot and vegetable pan to wash.

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Pearl couscous with chicken sausage rounds and broccoli rabe.

Use pearl couscous, not the fine grain

Giant, pearl or Israeli-style couscous is a small pasta with a longer cooking time than the fine quick-soaking product. It needs a gentle simmer in the measured stock. Stir once or twice during cooking so the small beads do not stick to the bottom, but keep the lid on between checks. If the packet gives a different liquid ratio, use that guidance and watch the pan near the end.

Give the stems an earlier start

Trim away the hard lower ends of the broccoli rabe and slice the usable stems finely. The leaves need only the last few minutes, while the stems cook with the couscous. Broccoli rabe naturally has a bitter edge; the recipe keeps that character rather than trying to hide it under cream. If you prefer a milder green, use the tenderstem broccoli variation and remember that its thicker stems still need an early start.

Know which sausage is in the refrigerator

Choose a product explicitly labeled fully cooked. Fresh poultry sausage is not the same ingredient and cannot be handled as a quick reheating addition. The cut sausage gets a little color with the onion before the stock is added, then warms thoroughly during the pasta cooking. Finish with lemon off the heat, giving the bowls a fresh edge without leaving a separate raw garnish to chop.

Ingredients

  • 7 oz fully cooked chicken sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch (1 cm) rounds (200 g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
  • 1 small onion, diced (100 g)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (6 g)
  • 1 cup giant or pearl couscous (150 g)
  • 9 oz broccoli rabe, tough stem ends removed, tender stems sliced and leaves chopped separately (250 g prepared weight)
  • 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock (420 ml), or packet-specified amount
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.5 g)

Set out

Deep 12-inch (30 cm) skillet with tight lid, Instant-read thermometer

Allergens

Wheat; check sausage and stock for milk, soy or other allergens. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5–6 minutes until softened. Add the sausage and cook for 3 minutes, turning to color the cut sides.
  2. Stir in the garlic, couscous and finely sliced broccoli rabe stems for 1 minute. Add the stock, salt and pepper and bring to a gentle boil.
  3. Cover, reduce to low and simmer until 4–5 minutes before the couscous packet’s expected finishing time, stirring once halfway. For a 12-minute packet, this first simmer takes 7–8 minutes. Add a splash of boiling water if the pan becomes dry before the couscous is nearly tender.
  4. Fold in the chopped broccoli rabe leaves. Cover and cook for 4–5 minutes more until the leaves are tender, the couscous is cooked and the sausage reaches 165°F/74°C. If liquid remains, cook uncovered for 1–2 minutes.
  5. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and divide between two bowls.

Measure before you start

Keep the couscous and stock measured together on the counter. A one-pan method is less forgiving if the pasta is already toasting while you search for a measuring jug.

A useful detail

Broccoli rabe has thinner stems and a stronger flavor than an ordinary large broccoli head. Use the stated prepared weight after removing tough ends.

Another way

  • Use 9 oz (250 g) tenderstem broccoli for a milder bowl, slicing the thicker stalks finely and adding florets with the leaves stage.
  • Replace chicken sausage with a fully cooked vegetarian sausage of the same weight and use vegetable stock; check new allergens and follow its package instructions.

Keep it well

Refrigerate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat covered with a splash of water to 165°F/74°C. Freeze for up to 2 months, thawing in the refrigerator; the greens will be softer. Carry chilled with two cold sources and refrigerate at work.