This vegetable packed Orzo Soup is all done in one pan for a fuss free comforting meal that will warm you up on a cold day. Quick and easy, adaptable and full of flavour - what more could you want from a soup? It's a great way to use orzo too.
About this Orzo Soup Recipe
This is a small batch vegetable soup, that is all done in one pan for minimal mess. You can easily double or triple this recipe, as it's great for batch cooking and freezing. It's vegan, vegetable packed and super filling.
You can adapt this soup with orzo to use whatever you have in your fridge, and make it a different way every time. If you have never tried orzo, then this soup is a great place to start.
Looking for more easy soup recipes? Why not try our Easy Tomato Soup, Kale Soup or Watercress Soup.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Onions and carrot - Save yourself some time and effort by using frozen onions. Dice the carrots very small, so that they soften once cooked, unless you like some bite to your carrots.
- Celery
- Red pepper - You can use raw or roasted red pepper.
- Garlic - We used fresh garlic cloves, but you can use frozen garlic or some lazy garlic from a jar to make this soup really easy.
- Vegetable Stock - Try to use the best quality that you can, as you really will taste the difference. If you are making this for really small children, then use a low salt stock. You could use chicken broth which would give a richer flavor.
- Butter beans - This adds some protein to the orzo soup, as well as some chunky texture. You can swap them for any canned beans though, and chickpeas work well and they are also cheap.
- Tomatoes - We used tinned chopped tomatoes. Try to use the best quality that you can, as cheap tinned tomatoes tend to be really watery and that's not what you want.
- Orzo pasta - This helps the soup to be really filling. To put it simply, it's like rice, but pasta. It is the same shape and similar size to rice, but made of white flour. It's a store cupboard staple for us, because there are so many different ways to use it. If you can find whole wheat orzo, then try to use that.
- Dried herbs - We used dried thyme and basil, but oregano or Italian seasoning will work too.
- Spinach - You could swap the spinach for kale, but that might need cooking a little longer to soften it up.
Orzo Soup Variations
The great thing about a vegetable orzo soup is that it is so easy to adapt. As long as all the veggies cook at a similar rate, then it's all good. Some other vegetables that we like to add to this orzo soup are:
- Roasted red pepper
- Courgette
- Chopped cabbage
- Sweetcorn
- Peas
- Green beans
- Butternut squash
If you wanted to add some meat to this orzo soup recipe (not that it is missing it), then cook some ground sausage at the same time as the onions.
How to Make Orzo Soup - Step by Step
- Step one: Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot and red pepper (a). Cook on a low heat until softened (about 8-10 minutes). Stir in the garlic (b).
- Step two: Add the beans, tomatoes and herbs (a). Mix well (b).
- Step three: Add the orzo and stock, stir and bring to the boil (a). Simmer for 10 minutes (b).
- Step four: Add the spinach and simmer until it has wilted. Transfer to bowls and serve.
What to Serve with Orzo Soup
This soup really does have it all. It is vegetable packed, it has a tonne of flavor, and it's filling too with the orzo. However, we like to add a bit of pesto on top or even some parmesan cheese.
If like us you just HAVE to have something to dip in your soup, then we have a few suggestions:
- Air Fryer Cheese Toastie
- Easy Homemade Flatbreads
- Pita bread
- Tiger loaf
- Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia
Orzo Soup Leftovers
In the fridge - If you have leftovers of this soup, then it can be kept in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
In the freezer - This is a really great soup it batch cook and freeze. Wait for the soup to completely cool, and then add to seal tight freezer bags and then lay them flat in the freezer. They will keep there for up to 3 months. Defrost the bags in the fridge and then heat through in a pan.
Extra Tips
- Add some croutons on top for some extra crunch.
- Spice this orzo soup recipe up a little with a sprinkling of red chilli flakes before serving. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice and lemon zest to freshen it up.
- If you are making this soup for young children, then use a low salt stock.
- Swap the butter beans for chickpea if you like.
- You can make a creamy version of this by adding a drizzle of heavy cream or a vegan cream alternative and mix it together.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a delicious meat free meal, and it really isn't missing anything. However, if you are serving this to someone that has to have meat with their meals, then why not add some leftover shredded chicken. Have you tried our Best Roast Chicken or Slow Cooker Whole Chicken? Cooked chopped up sausage is also a good addition.
Yes, you can easily cook this in the slow cooker. Follow the first step, and then add everything to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. Depending on how bothy you like your soup, but might need to reduce the amount of stock added.
More Soup Recipes
If you’ve tried this Orzo Soup recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Onion - diced
- 1 Carrot - diced
- 1 Celery - diced
- 1 Red bell pepper - diced
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 750 ml (3 cups) Vegetable stock
- 240 g (1.25 cups) Butter beans - (drained weight)
- 400 g (2.5 cups) Chopped tomatoes - canned
- 150 g (1 cups) Orzo
- 0.5 teaspoon Dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon Dried basil
- 0.5 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 60 g (2 cups) Spinach
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan. Add 1 Onion, 1 Celery, 1 Carrot and 1 Red bell pepper. Cook on a low heat until softened (about 8-10 minutes). Stir in 2 Garlic clove.
- Add 240 g Butter beans, 400 g Chopped tomatoes, 0.5 teaspoon Dried thyme, 0.5 teaspoon Dried basil, 0.5 teaspoon Paprika and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper. Mix well.
- Add 150 g Orzo and 750 ml Vegetable stock, stir and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add 60 g Spinach and simmer until it has wilted.
Recipe Tips
- Add some croutons on top for some extra crunch.
- Spice this soup up a little with a sprinkling of red chilli flakes before serving.
- If you are making this soup for young children, then use a low salt stock.
- Swap the butter beans for chickpea if you like.
- You can make a creamy version of this by adding a drizzle of a vegan cream alternative and mix it together.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Journa says
Love how fuzz free this recipe is! Love that it's one pot! Thanks for sharing!
Luke Ratford says
This is exactly what we all needed in our house for this time of year, this soup was fantastic and the flavours were amazing :)
Rachna says
I love soups that are warm and comforting. All those delicious vegetables make it super healthy. I am going to try this out soon.
Denay DeGuzman says
When it comes to flavorful comforting soups, this orzo soup recipe is a real winner! It's easy to make and so delicious.
sarah says
Looks great! I can't wait to try it.