This nourishing vegetable orzo soup is easy to make in one pot. It’s a hearty soup that’s packed with fresh vegetables, chickpeas and orzo. The best part - it’s ready in 30 minutes!
I love making this hearty vegetable soup. It’s full of flavor and the chickpeas and orzo pasta make it into a complete meal - especially with some bread.
It’s also a great way to clear out your produce drawer. You can add pretty much any veggie you like!
Looking for more soup packed with veggies? Try my bean, kale and potato soup, Instant Pot 15 bean soup and my cauliflower potato soup.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: Just one pot and 30 minutes and this soup is done!
- Nourishing: It’s full of veggies and also a great source of protein and fiber.
- Simple ingredients: It’s made with ingredients you probably already have at home.
Ingredient Notes
- Crushed tomatoes: You can use diced tomatoes instead if you want chunks of tomatoes.
- Spinach: I usually use baby spinach which you then don’t need to chop.
- Chickpeas: You could also use cannellini beans instead.
- Orzo: You can substitute with another tiny pasta.
- Vegetable broth: Use homemade veggie broth or packaged.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
Variations
- Add some spice with some hot pepper flakes.
- Add in your favorite vegetable like chopped zucchini.
- Instead of spinach, use kale.
How To Make Vegetable Orzo Soup
Step 1: First, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the chopped onion, carrots and celery for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Stir in the minced garlic (if you are using it), salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and cook for another minute.
Step 3: Stir in the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, orzo and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Make sure you are stirring so the orzo doesn't stick to the bottom.
Step 4: Stir in the chopped spinach and simmer for another minute until the greens are wilted.
Step 5: Season to taste and serve. Top with parmesan cheese (regular or vegan) and fresh parsley, if desired.
Expert Tips
- If you are using baby spinach there's no need to chop it.
- This is a very thick soup. If you want it with more broth, just add an additional cup.
- Chop the vegetables into relatively small pieces as they are only simmering for 10 minutes. You don’t want to have crunchy veggies in the soup.
Storage and Recipe FAQs
You can put leftovers of this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you are reheating leftovers, you can add in a little water or vegetable broth if the orzo has absorbed too much liquid.
If you don’t have orzo, you could use rice or barley in its place. You would probably need to adjust the simmering time depending how long it takes to cook.
While orzo looks like grains of rice, it’s a pasta that’s just shaped that way.
Yes! You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating it.
Definitely. You simply need to use a gluten-free orzo pasta or other small shape of pasta.
More Veggie Dinner Recipes
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Recipe
Vegetable Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, mined (optional)
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper, to taste I use about ½ t salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can 14-15 oz. crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups fresh spinach, packed and chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the chopped onion, carrots and celery for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The veggies will be starting to soften and the onions may be slightly browning.
- Stir in the minced garlic (if you are using it), salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, orzo and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and then simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring so the orzo doesn't stick to the bottom.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and simmer for another minute until the greens are wilted.
- Season to taste and serve with your favorite biscuits or bread.
- You can put leftovers of this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Equipment
- Large soup pot
- Cutting board
Notes
- If you are using baby spinach there's no need to chop it.
- When you are reheating leftovers, you can add in a little water or vegetable broth if the orzo has absorbed too much liquid.
- This is a very thick soup. If you want it with more broth, just add an additional cup.
Jen says
This is a tasty and filling soup. I love making a batch for lunches throughout the week. It's easy to make with simple ingredients that I usually have at home.