This easy and quick 21 Day Fix feel better soup is the most deliciously comforting thing that you can make with four ingredients. Now with Instant Pot instructions!
Originally posted on January 8, 2017, this recipe has been updated with Instant Pot instructions for the easiest, no fuss belly warmer ever!
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Hey peeps! Anyone else have the entire family sick over the holidays?? It really seemed to be going around this year! Actually, the hubs managed to escape the madness – though it’s hard to say which is worse, actually being sick or having to take care of all the sickos. Truly, I think I’d rather be sick. I mean, sure you feel like garbage, but you’re also forced to take a break from the usual chaos (sometimes one needs to be forced), drink tea, watch TV and if you’re lucky, slurp up this soup 🙂
You guys. I really can’t even properly impress upon you the feel-better magic that is this soup. But I’ll try.
Things I love about this soup:
- Not only does this soup only contain 4 ingredients, but 3 of those ingredients are probably in your house right now, go check!
- It’s super easy to keep all ingredients on hand at all times – 2 pantry items, plus eggs and grated parmesan cheese (you never know when an emergency need for Feel Better Soup will strike, so it’s good to be prepared)
- So quick (we’re talking 10 minutes max, people) and easy that even if you feel like death, you can probably make it for yourself (take that chicken noodle!)
- It’s seriously comforting.
- Thick and warm, your sore throat never had it so good.
- Not that you care about this when you’re sick, but it’s healthy and 21 Day Fix approved.
- It’s freaking tasty whether you’re sick or not. We make it for lunch on the regular.
- It’s pretty darn economical.
- It feels like home. Ok, this one is probably just me, but still.
A little backstory: The original recipe for this was called Pastina (or at least that’s what we called it) and although there are many similar variations of this made in my family, this is my mama’s (and seriously the best one – sorry, Gram!). It’s basically an Italian version of egg drop soup and I don’t ever remember a time when I was sick when my mom didn’t make it for me. Because she’s the best and I’m the luckiest <3 . And now I make it for my girls* so that one day they can tell anyone who will listen that I was the best 😉
If you haven’t heard of it before, pastina is a pasta shape. Super tiny, star-shaped and basically as adorable as a pasta can get. Let me tell you how I searched and searched AND SEARCHED for whole wheat pastina. Apparently such a thing does not exist. But before I crafted a strongly worded letter to Barilla – I thought I’d try something out first.
Whole wheat couscous, which is really just teeny tiny pieces of pasta anway.
Sure, it’s not star shaped, but once the soup is made you can hardly see those stars anyway. So I made a batch and it was perfect. I couldn’t tell the difference and neither could the girls.
Here are the ridiculously simple steps:
*Speaking of the girls, it was my now-5-year-old who originally dubbed this “Feel Better Soup” when she was 3 or 4. We all thought it was so cute that she called it that, that we all started calling it that and it stuck 🙂
I hope this recipe becomes a staple in your home the way it is in mine.
If you make this recipe be sure to snap a pic and tag me @thefoodieandthefix on Instagram so I can check it out! It makes me ridiculously happy to see what you guys are making ?
4-Ingredient Feel Better Soup {21 Day Fix}
Ingredients
- 1 (32 oz) box of low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup whole wheat couscous (dry, uncooked)
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- Optional: chives
- Optional: a pinch of salt
Instructions
Stove top Instructions:
- In a medium pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the couscous (and the pinch of salt if using) and cook until very, very soft.
- While the couscous is cooking, in a small bowl, beat together the eggs and cheese with a fork.
- Once the couscous is fully cooked, turn the burner off and stir in the egg/cheese mixture one forkful at a time until all of the mixture has been added. Add in some snipped chives if ya like and enjoy!
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add the broth and couscous to the Instant Pot. Lock lid and set on manual for zero minutes (yes, zero!). Quick release when finished.
- While the couscous is cooking, in a small bowl, beat together the eggs and cheese with a fork.
- Once the Instant Pot beeps and the quick release is done, remove the lid and stir the egg and cheese mixture into the pot by the forkful until all of the mixture has been added.
- Add in some snipped chives if ya like and enjoy!
Notes
I've been told that quinoa makes a great substitute for the couscous in this recipe if you can't find whole wheat couscous. If making it with quinoa in the Instant Pot, cook on manual for 1 minute, QR.
21 Day Fix Container Counts per Serving: 1/2 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Blue
Weight Watchers Freestyle Points: 9
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 2 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 311 Total Fat: 12g
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Hi, how much Pastina would you use for this?
The same amount!
I am looking forward to trying this soup. The fewer the ingredients the better! 🙂
Right?! Hope you love it!
This is the most delicious simple soup I’ve ever made. I only had beef broth on hand and it turned out perfectly
Thank you!
Ah! I’m so happy you loved it!!
Love this! I’m feeling under the weather today but know I’ll be having matzoh ball soup tomorrow for dinner so didn’t want a chicken soup. I made the swap with rainbow quinoa since I had it on hand. I also didn’t have quite enough chicken stock so I used a cup of water instead. Still delicious and exactly what I needed. I will be making this again for sure – it defintely tastes similar to the patina I make but this is a much healthier version with the quinoa. Thanks for this one!
I’m so glad! Thanks for letting me know!!
Just made this glorious soup with quinoa. Did 2 min and quick release. Is amazing!! It will definitely be a feel better staple for me because so easy!
Thanks Stephanie!
Ah! Yay!! I’m so happy to hear this and you’re so welcome!
Would this work without egg? My kiddo has an egg and dairy allergy
Hey Melissa! Sure! It’ll work without the egg and cheese, it’ll just be a bit of a different thing, just couscous and broth. Hope this helps!
Hi Stephanie, just wondering if you can freeze this soup?? I made it and it’s amazing… thanks
Glad you liked it! I’ve never frozen it, but I think it would freeze fine!
I love the name the family chose for this soup. Definitely a feel good soup and one of my favorites.
Mine too, Mama!
This is amazing! Mine always comes out pretty runny though instead of thicker like in your 0icture. Thoughts on why that may be?
Hey Alex! I’m so glad you liked it! Most likely you just needed to let it cook a little longer. The couscous gets cooked more here than you would normally cook couscous and soaks up more of the liquid. Hope this helps!
Are you mixing in raw egg with the couscous? Does it cook into it even after shutting the burners off?
Yes, it’s boiling when you turn it off, so it’s still really hot and it completely cooks the egg.
I don’t understand how a 2 cup serving is only 1 yellow? The plan states that the couscous is counted as 1 being cooked, not one yellow uncooked.
Hi Tiffany! This makes a large serving because there are 4 cups of broth here. There is only 1/4 cup of dry couscous per serving (which makes 1/2 cup cooked, which is one yellow). It gets really thick (and looks like a ton of couscous) because of the egg and grated cheese that’s in it. I hope that makes sense!
How do you think it would be with quinoa instead of couscous?
Hey Annette! This is a tough one for me (mainly because I really hate quinoa, unlike basically the rest of the world!)… I would say that it would have more of a chew to it, whereas, the couscous gets really soft. Also, the quinoa has a bit of a flavor to it which the couscous doesn’t have, so in that respect it would be different. I think it’s doable if you like quinoa, but it wouldn’t turn out quite the same. I hope that helps!
Did you ever try it with quinoa? I want to try as I love quinoa!
I haven’t! I’m sure it would be good, but the texture would be different. I’d love to hear how it goes if you try it!
I tried it with quinoa and the quinoa just soaked up all the broth. Maybe cooking quinoa separately first then adding to broth. It does make it a chewy taste but good.
Gotcha. That makes sense. Thanks for updating me, Bethany!
Wow really yummy!! I added a dash of cayenne pepper to give a little kick to it??
That sounds great! I’m so glad you liked it, Mary Kay!
I know Walmart carries Barilla Pastina, but its not whole wheat, just the usual semolina kind.
Thanks, Cynthia!
Just so I’m clear. A serving size is 2 cups and that equals the 1/2 R, 1Y, 1B?
This sounds super delicious! I cannot wait to try it!
Yes, that’s right! It’s a huge serving! I hope you love it, Jessica!
Happy New Year, Stephanie. A steaming bowl of soup always makes things a little brighter.
I agree! Happy New Year, Rahul!
SO i’ve definitely never heard of this but MY GOD I want to try it! Carbs+eggs+ cheese is pretty much the best!
Yes! So crazy-comforting! <3 <3 <3