This quick 30-minute meal will have everyone coming back for seconds! Vegetable Orzo Soup a delicious and easy meal. The flavors come together in a snap and it's a healthy soup packed full of flavor!
There's nothing better than a great soup - next time try Alphabet Soup Recipe!
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Why you'll love this recipe
Dan and I have been traveling a lot. In May we were in New Mexico and Colorado. June took me to San Francisco, last weekend we were in Sacramento, with more travel planned before summer is complete!
Eating out has become a "thing"!! I told Dan on the way home from Sac Town I think it's time for some of Deb's home cooking and he agreed. And even though it's hot, we both enjoy soup.
Which is great because it's a terrific meal we can enjoy that is pretty much guilt free like this orzo pasta soup!
So even though the weather is hot, hot, hot, soup is on the menu tonight. Bonus? It is so easy and takes only thirty minutes to make! Delicious choice, right?
I thought so! 😋
This soup is packed full of bright fresh vegetables like spinach, celery, carrots & onions.
In less than thirty minutes your meal complete and you are ready for dinner! Who is hungry?!!
Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- carrots
- celery
- onion
- spinach
- garlic
- fire roasted tomatoes
- uncooked orzo pasta, whole wheat orzo or any other small pasta
- vegetable broth or chicken broth - whichever you'd prefer.
- dry Italian seasoning
- lemon and fresh parsley optional
You'll love this easy to make soup! It's filled with fresh ingredients, fresh veggies and it's such a satisfying soup!
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Dice the carrots, celery & onion.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, carrots, celery, onion and the spices.
- Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add in the garlic & sauté for about another minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Chop the spinach, add it to the soup pot.
- Next add the pasta and give everything a good stir. Pour in the tomatoes, stock and water.
- Increase the heat to high and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, stirring often until the orzo is cooked to al dente.
- When the orzo is cooked, remove the soup from the heat. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and about a tablespoon of chopped parsley for bright fresh flavor.
Equipment
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FAQ's
Though it looks like rice, orzo is actually a pasta shaped like a grain of rice. Orzo is a wheat-based pasta and can be eaten alone or served up in a soup or salad.
Although it has about the same carbohydrate count as rice, orzo offers nearly twice as much protein as brown rice. Both are low in fat.
It does, this soup freezes terrific and makes for an easy meal when you don't feel like cooking. It will keep in the refrigerator for three days.
Variations
If you are looking to add more protein to your meal, garbanzo beans or cannellini beans would be a great addition to the vegetable orzo soup!
Add almost any combination of your favorite vegetables. Extra vegetables only make it better! Green beans, red bell pepper, spinach or kale would be lovely!
You can also add chicken breasts chopped into bite-sized pieces or Italian sausage - that would be delicious!
This is one of my favorite soup recipes and a great way to add a ton of veggies to your diet! (Without anyone turning up their nose!)
Tips
Peel the carrots and dice them along with the onions. Chopping the vegetables a uniform size will ensure everything cooks in about the same amount of time.
Dicing them uniformly not only allows them to cook evenly, when the soup is done, everything fits fit easily onto a soup spoon. If you want all of my soup tips and tricks to make the BEST homemade soup, click here!
Because this stew cooks so quickly the vegetables still have a bit of a crunch, giving it great texture. Finishing the soup with a squeeze of lemon and bit of chopped parsley keeps the flavors bright and fresh.
Storage
Refrigerate - Store in an airtight container. This will keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Freeze - Store in an airtight container, you can freeze this soup up to three months.
Reheat - thaw in the refrigerator overnight. This can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Related recipes
I bet you're hungry for more delicious soups and stews, right? Here are some of my favorite soups!
- Tomato Soup - classic and delicious, this creamy soup is rich. It's packed with vegetables, you'll love it I'm sure!
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup - This soup is pure comfort food - bursting with bright lemony flavor, it is full of vegetables, tender orzo pasta and hearty chunks of chicken.
- 15 Bean Soup with Ham - this classic bean soup is rich and filling. It's easy to make and leftovers freeze great. This is one terrific meal!
Serve with
This is such a lovely soup and you're going to really love this meal!
If you're looking to prepare compare a complete dinner here is what you can serve with this yummy soup!
Start off the meal with this tangy green onion dip and some vegetables and chips for dippers! It would be such a delicious combination!
Serve a salad along with it, like this spinach garbanzo salad. It has loads of crunch and freshness.
Some fresh dinner rolls alongside. YUM!
Double Chocolate Cherry Brownies are perfect for dessert!
Vegetable Orzo Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 yellow onion
- 8 cups spinach
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- ½ tablespoon lemon (optional)
- 1 tablespoon parsley minced (optional)
Instructions
- Dice the carrots, celery & onion. Heat a large Dutch Oven over medium heat. When it is good & hot, add the olive oil.
- Then add the carrots, celery, onion and the spices - Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add in the garlic & sauté for about another minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Run your knife thru the spinach a couple times, chopping it into bite sized pieces. Add it to the soup pot.
- Next add the pasta and give everything a good stir, scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the brown bits. Pour in the tomatoes, stock and water.
- Increase the heat to high and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium - you'll still want to keep it a light bubble and cook until the orzo is cooked thru - about 8-9 minutes.
- Continue to stir the soup often. The orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan. In addition, stirring it will release the starches in the pasta and help to thicken the soup.
- When the orzo is cooked, remove the soup from the heat. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and about a tablespoon of chopped parsley for bright fresh flavor.
Nutrition
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Don't worry, we'll never share your email.I hope you enjoy this meal because soup is good food! 😋 What's your favorite soup? Please take a moment and hit reply or comment below!
If you make this soup be sure to tag me on Instagram @bowl_me_over or using the hashtag #bowlmeover!! If you've tried this, I've love it if you would leave a comment below, enjoy!!!
First published July 5, 2018 - Last updated October 15, 2021
