This cozy, warming soup reminds me of the many soups I enjoyed during the winter in Budapest years ago. While Hungarian soups are typically made with paprika, I used smoked paprika for that delicious rich, smoky flavor boost. The spice combined with the caramelized tomato paste, garlic, and browned meat adds so much deep, savory flavor to the broth. Beef is my favorite meat to use in this soup because it pairs so well with the paprika, but pork and chicken (or even canned beans) would also work great. Sour cream or yogurt on top adds a tangy, creamy richness to the soup that should not be missed!
Ingredient Highlight
Smoked Paprika! This bold, smoky Spanish spice is made from oak wood smoked pimentón chili peppers, whereas sweet paprika is made from the same peppers without the smoking process. Smoked paprika has a rich, smoky, woodsy flavor that lends beautifully to soups.
Spice tip! If you open your spice jar and you don’t get a strong scent or it smells off, toss it! Spices are only as good as they smell and since they add so much flavor to recipes, it’s important to use fresh ones.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 lb ground pork, beef, or chicken
- 2 tsp kosher salt divided
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 7 cups water
- 2 bell peppers, seeds removed, diced about 2 cups
- 1 cup Israeli/pearl couscous or use orzo or another tiny pasta shape
- Plain whole milk yogurt or sour cream
- Chopped parsley, mint, or cilantro
- You could also make this with a sausage like kielbasa, andouille, or chorizo in place of the ground meat still brown it like you would the meat
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat, use a metal spatula to break into chunks, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, then let it cook, undisturbed for 3-5 minutes or until nicely browned (this adds lots of flavor). Once browned, break the meat into smaller chunks, then use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer to a plate or bowl. Drain off any excess fat (depending on the meat you use, there may be a little or a lot).
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, and tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a darker red color, stirring often. Caramelizing the tomato paste gives the broth a ton of flavor.
- Stir in the smoked paprika and red pepper flakes (if using) for just 10 seconds, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in the water, bell pepper, couscous, ground meat, and remaining 1 ½ teaspoons salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium/medium-low and simmer rapidly, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until the couscous is cooked through, stirring every few minutes to make sure the couscous isn’t getting stuck on the bottom of the pot.
- Serve topped with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, herbs, and olive oil.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 4 cloves garlic
- Dice 2 bell peppers (about 2 cups)
- Make the soup!
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute 2 (15 oz) cans of beans in place of the meat. Just skip the first step of browning the meat.
- To make vegan, see above and skip the yogurt/sour cream or use an alternative.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftovers in the microwave or on the stove until warmed through.
- Top with sour cream, herbs, etc…
To make it gluten-free would the substitute for rice be the same amount of rice as pasta and water?
I would use a jasmine white rice (or other white rice) and reduce to 1/2 or 3/4 cup, depending on how rice-heavy you want it! If towards the end the liquid is looking low, then you can always add more so just keep an eye on it.