Vegetable orzo soup is a hearty and delicious soup that is filled with tons of healthy veggies! This one-pot meal has a classic minestrone flavor that your whole family will love.
It's 2023!!! Can you believe it? I can only just. It's been a whirlwind of a year in our family, including moving to a new town, starting new schools, and me finally taking the plunge on this food blog I've been dreaming about for years. Looking back the year seems so long, but also gone in the blink of an eye. I can't wait to see what 2023 has in store. I have some exciting goals for this little corner of the internet!
For many people, New Years' resolutions include eating healthier. I do not so much believe in resolutions (maybe because I can never seem to keep them...), but I DO believe in healthy eating, and especially, in vegetables. This delicious vegetable orzo soup recipe is a perfect way to start your new year off right. This hearty soup is full of fresh ingredients like carrot, zucchini, peas, and spinach. It's a great way to get in your extra veggies on a cold day. This is an easy and delicious meal that your whole family will love!
For other great options for healthy soups, try my lentil tortilla soup, butternut squash carrot ginger soup, or turkey bell pepper chili.
You Will Love This
- This hearty vegetable soup is a perfect crowd-pleasing family recipe. It has a classic minestrone flavor that both kids and adults will love.
- This is a great healthy meal for the winter months. A warm bowl of healthy soup is the perfect way to get in your extra vegetables on a chilly day.
- This is a complete meal in one pot. Just serve it with a side salad and some crusty bread, and keep the dishes to a minimum!
Ingredients
For this vegetarian orzo soup, you will need the following simple ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below):
- Olive oil
- Onion, carrot and celery: You could use white or yellow onion for this recipe.
- Garlic cloves: Pre-minced garlic will also work!
- Your favorite fresh vegetables: I used a mix of zuchinni, yukon gold potatoes and frozen peas. Other great additions would be bell peppers, yellow squash, green beans or sweet potatoes.
- Vegetable broth or chicken broth: Use vegetable stock to keep the soup vegan.
- Petite diced tomatoes
- Fresh baby spinach: You could substitute other fresh leafy greens, like kale.
- Garbanzo beans: You could substitute Cannellini beans or other canned white beans (like Great Northern beans).
- Orzo pasta: Use whole wheat orzo pasta for an extra boost of whole grains. Try gluten-free orzo or even cooked brown or white rice to keep this soup gluten-free.
- Seasonings including kosher salt, Italian seasoning and fresh black pepper.
Make it your own!
- Crumbled Italian sausage would be a great addition to this soup if you want to add some extra protein!
Instructions
Step One: Prepare the vegetables. Mince the garlic. Dice the onion and celery. Peel the carrots and potatoes. Chop the carrots into small bite sized pieces. Chop the potatoes and zucchini into small cubes, approximately ½ inch across.
Step Two: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, and saute 3-4 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook 2-3 minutes more.
Step Three: Add the potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning and beans to the pot. Turn the soup to medium heat and bring it to a simmer. Allow the soup to cook for about 12-15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender-crisp. The potatoes should be able to be pierced with a fork, but should not fall apart.
Step Four: Add the orzo pasta, and cook for about 10 more minutes, until the orzo is al dente. It should have a slightly firm and chewy texture. At this point, the vegetables should be nice and tender.
Step Five: Add the fresh spinach and peas to the soup. Remove the soup from heat and give everything a good stir. The residual heat in the soup will wilt the spinach and warm the peas. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs and serve immediately!
Note: This is a very thick and hearty soup, almost like a vegetable stew. For a lighter soup, add up to two cups of extra broth.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The pasta will absorb more liquid as the soup sits, so add some extra broth or water upon reheating to get it back to a soup-like consistency.
Recipe
Vegetable Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 ribs celery
- 3 carrots
- 1 small zucchini (about 1 cup diced)
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 15 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 15.5 ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 2 ounces fresh baby spinach
- kosher salt to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Mince the garlic. Dice the onion and celery. Peel the carrots and potatoes. Chop the carrots into small bite sized pieces. Chop the potatoes and zucchini into small cubes, approximately ½ inch across.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, and saute 3-4 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook 2-3 minutes more.
- Add the potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning and beans to the pot. Turn the soup to medium heat and bring it to a simmer. Allow the soup to cook for about 12-15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender-crisp. The potatoes should be able to be pierced with a fork, but should not fall apart.
- Add the orzo pasta, and cook for about 10 more minutes, until the orzo is al dente. It should have a slightly firm and chewy texture. At this point, the vegetables should be nice and tender.
- Add the fresh spinach and peas to the soup. Remove the soup from heat and give everything a good stir. The residual heat in the soup will wilt the spinach and warm the peas. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs and serve immediately!
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