Made with simple ingredients, this vegetarian tomato and orzo soup is quick and easy to prepare, making it a delicious, hearty, and healthy meal. There’s something comforting about cooking up a warm pot of soup in this chilly weather. This tomato orzo soup was exactly what we needed to warm up and recharge during this season.
What’s in this tomato orzo soup?
You don’t need complicated ingredients to make this simple and delicious soup recipe.
Key ingredients: This vegetarian tomato orzo soup begins with aromatic vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. It’s seasoned with classic Italian flavors such as dried bay leaves, oregano, and basil to infuse the soup with delightful aromas. For the basil, I use the leaves I froze this summer after harvesting them from my garden.
Orzo pasta, small pasta shaped like large grains of rice, is the star of this recipe. If you don’t have orzo in your pantry, you can substitute it with macaroni or other small pasta shapes, even broken spaghetti or alphabet pasta, which is always a hit with kids (and with me too!).
Fresh spinach is added toward the end of cooking, but you can skip it if you don’t have any or prefer not to include it. You could also replace it with Swiss chard depending on the season.
For another orzo-based recipe idea, check out our recipe for orzo and tuna salad!
How to prepare this tomato with orzo soup?
This soup couldn’t be easier to make. Simply follow the steps below for a delicious and comforting dish. You can even print the recipe if needed!
Soup preparation steps
To make this soup:
- Start by chopping and cooking the aromatics. Add the broth and crushed tomatoes, or you can use canned diced tomatoes (fire-roasted tomatoes are especially delicious), along with the seasonings.
- Bring the soup to a boil and add the uncooked orzo. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the pasta cook until al dente (check the cooking time on the package).
- Add the fresh spinach, cooking for 2-3 minutes until wilted, and the soup is ready to serve.
Alternative method: Another way to prepare this soup is to partially cook the pasta in a separate pot, then add it to the soup to finish cooking with the rest of the ingredients. Ina Garten uses this method in her tomato soup recipe. This prevents the pasta from absorbing too much of the soup’s broth. Alternatively, you can use a pressure cooker, adding the pasta at the end of cooking.
How to serve the soup?
Top the soup with freshly grated Parmesan and, if possible, a few finely sliced fresh basil leaves (optional). If you have some extra time, bake a batch of sweet potato, Parmesan, and rosemary biscuits and serve them warm alongside the soup.
How to store it?
Once cooled to room temperature, transfer leftover soup into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.
Tomato and orzo soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup of orzo pasta (200g)
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (400g)
- 4 cups of vegetable broth (1 liter)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 teaspoo,n of dried basil
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir in the dried basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the orzo pasta. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the orzo is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
Diced tomatoes (400 g) : ~90 calories
Vegetable broth (1 liter) : ~15 calories
Onion (1 medium) : ~40 calories
Garlic (2 cloves) : ~10 calories
Carrots (1 medium) : ~25 calories
Celery (1 stalk) : ~10 calories
Olive oil (2 tbsp) : ~240 calories
Spinach (2 cups fresh) : ~14 calories
