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This vegetable orzo soup is a cozy one-pot soup made with fresh vegetables, hearty beans, leafy greens, and a rich tomato-based broth. It’s simple, nourishing, and packed with plant-based protein and fiber, making it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep lunch.
This is a high fiber vegetable soup recipe the whole family will enjoy. It’s a great way to get extra vegetables into your day. Skip the salad and opt for a bowl of this easy vegetable orzo soup.
If you love a comforting veggie packed soup like me, you’ll love this Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup or even this Cheeseburger Macaroni Soup!
Cozy Vegetable Orzo Soup That’s Actually Filling
This one pot vegetable orzo soup is made from simple ingredients and pantry staples and tastes way better than any soup you’d find at the grocery store. The entire meal is on the table in under 30 minutes!
Serve this cozy soup with a slice of crusty bread for the perfect meal!
Here is what makes it different:
- Protein and fiber. One big bowl has 8 grams of plant-based protein and 7 grams of fiber for a hearty and filling soup. With the addition of beans, it really feels like a complete meal.
- Tender orzo pasta adds comfort without making it heavy. It gives the soup a pasta-like feel while still keeping it brothy.
- Leafy greens add color and nutrition. Spinach or kale makes it more veggie-packed.
- Easy to customize. Add chicken, tofu, edamame, or extra vegetables depending on what you need.
- Great for leftovers. It tastes even better as the flavors meld together so make it ahead and enjoy it for lunch or dinner throughout the week.
Ingredient Notes
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Olive oil: To sauté veggies I like to start with olive oil, it adds both flavor and healthy fats to this hearty vegetable soup with orzo!
- Onion, carrots and celery: Most soup recipes start with mirepoix, which is a classic combination of onion, carrots and celery. It adds color, texture, and flavor to this plant-based soup.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds loads of flavor, but you can swap it out for 4 teaspoons of minced garlic if you are short on time.
- Tomato paste: To add a richness to the broth I love cooking in a little tomato paste with the vegetables, and it also gives the broth a deeper color. I like to use tomato paste in a tube so I don’t have to deal with the leftovers in the can!
- Canned diced tomatoes: I love canned diced tomatoes for a tomato-based soup, but you could also add your own fresh.
- Vegetable broth: Vegetable stock or broth makes up the base of this recipe. You could also use chicken broth, but it will have a different flavor.
- Fresh kale or spinach: Leafy greens add nutrition and color to this soup! Any greens will work but I tend to go with kale or spinach. You can use fresh spinach or frozen to save yourself time. To avoid having to remove stems, you can even just throw in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach.
- Cannellini beans: White beans like cannellini beans add protein, fiber, iron and B vitamins along with lots of other nutrients! Fun fact: the vitamin C from the tomatoes also helps your body to absorb the iron from the beans and spinach.
- Orzo: It wouldn’t be orzo soup without this rice-shaped pasta. I use regular orzo but you can use gluten-free orzo or a chickpea orzo for extra fiber and protein.
- Italian seasoning, salt + black pepper: Simple spices help to bring out the flavors of this delish soup.
Variations
- Use additional veggies. Frozen mixed vegetables or green beans make a great addition. You can add 1-2 cups veggies and additional 1 cup water to the soup. Extra fresh veggies like bell peppers or squash are great too.
- Change up the beans. You can use any canned beans here so try pink or red kidney beans for color, garbanzo beans for texture, or black eyed peas are a great option too!
- Add more protein. For more protein add leftover rotisserie chicken, or to keep this a vegan orzo soup try frozen edamame or cubed tofu.
- Not an orzo fan? Swap it out for 1 cup of ditalini, elbows or whatever your favorite pasta is or use cooked white rice.
- Add toppings. My favorites are parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes or a squeeze of lemon. You could also add croutons, fresh herbs, or even some toasted nuts or seeds.
How To Make Vegetable Orzo Soup
This hearty veggie soup comes together in just a few simple steps!
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and sauté 4-5 minutes until veggies begin to soften.
- Next, add tomato paste and cook until color begins to deepen, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and bring to a boil. Note: If you like extra broth, add 1 cup of water.
- Finally, add spinach or kale, beans, and orzo. Turn down to a simmer and continue cooking until orzo is al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Jamie’s Tips
Expert Recipe Tips
- Stir the orzo as it cooks. Orzo can stick to the bottom of the pot, so give it a few stirs while simmering to keep it cooking evenly.
- Don’t overcook the orzo. It will continue to soften in the broth as it sits.
- Add greens at the end. Stir in the spinach or kale right before serving so they stay bright, fresh, and tender instead of overcooked.
- Use a good-quality broth. Since the broth is the base of the soup, using a flavorful broth makes a big difference in the final taste.
- For extra depth, add a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkle of Parmesan at the end to brighten the flavors and make the soup taste more balance.
How to Store
Store this make ahead vegetable soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this soup for 2-3 months (I love these silicone freezer cubes). For best results freeze prior to adding the orzo and add it in when you reheat the base.
The orzo will continue to absorb the broth as it sits, so leftovers may thicken in the fridge. When reheating, stir in extra broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
If you’ve made and loved this Vegetable Orzo Soup or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
Vegetable Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth, add 1 cup water if you prefer more broth
- 1/2 tsp salt, more to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper, more to taste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cups fresh spinach or kale, chopped and stems removed
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 1/2 cup orzo
- parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and sauté 4-5 minutes until veggies begin to soften.
- Next, add tomato paste and cook until color begins to deepen, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and bring to a boil. Note: If you like a brothier soup, add 1 cup of water.
- Finally, add spinach or kale, beans, and orzo. Turn down to a simmer and continue cooking until orzo is al dente, about 9-10 minutes.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
So insanely good!
Soup is wonderful! PS you may want to change the notation for the celery from Greek yogurt though. 🙂
Super yummy! Making a double batch the second time around! 🙂
This soup is packed full of flavour! Easy to make and full of healthy ingredients! Freshly grated Parmesan on top takes it over the edge to incredible!!
Thanks Lisa! I love this one too!