Vegetable Orzo Soup

This Vegetable Orzo Soup is made with hearty veggies simmered in a savory tomato broth flavored with Italian spices. A healthy one pot meal!

This Orzo Vegetable Soup is perfect if you're looking for a meal that's healthy AND hearty. It's packed with vegetables, orzo pasta, and makes for a great comforting dinner.

You can never have too many soup recipes on hand during the cooler fall and winter months. Soup makes for a great lunch or dinner and can be enjoyed on its own or paired with some warm, crusty bread or your favorite sandwich.

Another reason I love soups like this one is that it's made in one pot, which helps to streamline the cooking process and cuts down on the amount of dishes that need to be washed.

This soup is made with fresh green beans, carrots, and spinach that are simmered in a savory tomato broth flavored with garlic, onions, and celery. Orzo pasta is added to the broth, which makes it even heartier and helps to thicken the broth as it cooks.

This winter has been warmer than average here in Minnesota, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to enjoy endless bowls of hearty soup.

Jump to:

• How To Add Flavor To Vegetable Soup
• Ingredients For Vegetable Orzo Soup
• What Is Orzo?
• How To Make Vegetable Orzo Soup
• Can You Add Orzo Directly To Soup?
• What To Serve With Vegetable Soup
• How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Vegetable Orzo Soup

How To Add Flavor To Vegetable Soup

There is a common misconception that vegetable soup is boring, bland, and has no flavor and I'm here to tell you that just isn't true.

When prepared correctly using fresh, quality ingredients vegetable soup is robust, flavorful, and every bit as satisfying as any other soup out there.

• When it comes to building flavor when cooking vegetable soups, it's important to use fresh vegetables instead of frozen or canned veggies. Fresh vegetables always result in a better flavor and texture, because they stand up to boiling and do not become mushy as they cook.
• It's also important to use aromatics such as garlic, onions, and celery. Make sure to sauté the aromatics in olive oil before adding the rest of the ingredients to help create a base of flavor in the soup broth.
• Make sure to opt for a quality brand of vegetable broth or use a homemade vegetable broth. You can also use chicken broth (store bought or homemade) if not vegetarian or vegan.
• It's important that the soup is seasoned properly with salt and pepper. Properly seasoned soup means that all of the other flavors will shine though. Under-seasoned soup is likely to be bland and taste 'watery'.
• Garnish with grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or cheese of choice for extra richness or sprinkle on some fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, or chives.

Ingredients For Vegetable Orzo Soup

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 2-3 stalks Celery (yields 1 cup chopped)
• 1 lb. Green Beans
• 4-5 large Carrots (yields 3 heaping cups chopped)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 5 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
• ½ tsp. Pepper
• ¾ cup Gluten Free Orzo (or regular orzo if not gluten free)
• 2 packed cups Spinach (or hearty greens of choice)

What Is Orzo?

Orzo is a variety of pasta that's shaped like a grain of rice. It's made from flour just like any other pasta even though its shape might suggest otherwise.

Orzo is often used in Italian and Mediterranean cuisines. It's perfect for light pasta dishes like this Ground Turkey Spinach Pasta or Cajun Chicken Orzo, salads, soups, and light dishes like these Greek Stuffed Peppers.

It looks a lot like Arborio rice but the two are not the same thing. Arborio rice is actually a type of rice and is used to make risotto. Arborio rice is also gluten free whereas orzo pasta is not.

To make this recipe gluten free, I opted for gluten free orzo pasta. Gluten free orzo may be found in specialty or health food grocery stores, or available for purchase online.

Feel free to use regular orzo pasta if gluten is not an issue for you. Regular orzo is available in the pasta aisle of your local grocery store.

I love to add orzo to soups because the starches in the pasta help to thicken the broth and it makes for a heartier soup without weighing it down.

How To Make Vegetable Orzo Soup

As far as vegetable soups go, this recipe is pretty straightforward.

The aromatics and vegetables are chopped and then sautéed in a Dutch oven on the stove top. Vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce are added along with some Italian seasoning for flavor.

The orzo pasta and fresh spinach are added toward the end of the cooking time and simmered in the broth until the veggies are tender and the pasta al dente.

I recommend a large cast iron Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed soup pot when making this Vegetable Orzo Soup.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
2. Dice 2-3 stalks of celery (yields 1 cup diced celery).
3. Wash and trim 1 lb. of fresh green beans. Cut the green beans into halves or thirds, depending on your preference.
4. Peel 4-5 large carrots. Cut the carrots into slices and then cut the slices into quarters (yields 3 heaping cups chopped carrots).
5. Roughly chop 2 packed cups of spinach (or hearty greens of choice, such as kale or Swiss chard).
6. Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot.
7. Add the minced garlic, onions, and celery to the Dutch oven and sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add the chopped green beans and carrots, along with 1 tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Sauté for another 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Add 5 cups vegetable broth, 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (with juices), 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce, and 1 tsp. Italian seasoning to the Dutch oven. Stir until completely incorporated.
10. Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Can You Add Orzo Directly To Soup?

The great thing about orzo is that you can add it directly to soup without boiling it first. The orzo cooks in the broth, which helps to flavor the pasta and the starches from the pasta work to thicken the soup.

The orzo and spinach are added after the soup has been cooking for 10 minutes. Cooking times may vary slightly, but it takes roughly 15 minutes for the orzo pasta to cook in the broth.

• The orzo plumps up as it cooks. It might not look like much when first added, but the orzo will fill out and thicken the soup quite a bit.
• Just like any pasta, it's important not to overcook the orzo, or it may become mushy. Cook just until the veggies are tender and the orzo is al dente.
• Another thing to keep in mind is that the orzo may stick to the bottom when first added to the soup pot. I recommend removing the cover and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon or spatula every couple of minutes to prevent it from sticking.

1. After the soup has been cooking for 10 minutes, remove the cover and add ¾ cup gluten free orzo (or regular orzo if not gluten free) and 2 cups chopped spinach (or hearty greens of choice). Stir until completely incorporated.
2. Bring the soup to a boil once again. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the veggies are tender and the pasta al dente.
3. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven every couple of minutes with a wooden spoon or spatula at first to prevent the orzo from sticking.

What To Serve With Vegetable Soup

As mentioned, cooking times may vary. The soup is finished when the pasta is al dente, but not mushy, the veggies are tender and easily pierced with a knife or fork, and the broth is thickened.

This soup is hearty enough to enjoy on its own, but I love tomato-based soups served with some warm, crusty bread or crostini for dipping.

Feel free to slice and toast some bread or a baguette (gluten free or otherwise) in the oven drizzled with olive oil. It's also great with these savory cheese scones or gluten free biscuits.

Italian soups are always great garnished with some freshly grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or any other cheese of choice for extra decadence.

You can also garnish with some fresh parsley, basil, or chives for extra freshness and pop of flavor.

Soup is perfect paired with a sandwich like this Italian mozzarella grilled cheese, pesto grilled cheese, or lemon basil BLT or a flatbread like this Mediterranean veggie flatbread or arugula pesto prosciutto pizza.

How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?

Any leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Make sure to cool the soup completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Can It Be Frozen?

Yes, vegetarian soups make a great freezer meal.

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the soup as directed and allow to cool completely before transferring to the freezer for storage.
2. Once cooled, place the soup in a heavy-duty freezer storage bag or another freezer-safe container, label with the date, and store up to 3 months in the freezer.

How To Reheat

1. Transfer the frozen soup to the refrigerator 24 hours before reheating and allow it to thaw completely.
2. Reheat the soup in a pot on the stove top or in the microwave. You may need to add more vegetable broth or water to achieve optimal consistency.

Love vegetarian soups? Check out these recipes!

• Harvest Vegetable Soup
• Hearty Lentil Soup
• Cannellini Bean, Kale, and Carrot Soup
• Chunky Vegetable Soup
• Tuscan Noodle Vegetable Soup
• Root Vegetable Soup
• Cauliflower Lentil Soup

Looking For More Vegetable Soup Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Chickpea Vegetable Noodle Soup

Mushroom Potato Soup

Creamy Vegetable Soup