This Creamy Orzo and Vegetable Soup is hearty and nourishing and certain to be popular with the whole family. It contains a generous quantity of vegetables that provide colour, flavour and contrasting texture. Some orzo gives depth to the soup and a small amount of cream completes the dish. This is a recipe that you will frequently turn to because it contains simple ingredients that are readily available, or you may already have on hand. You can have it on the table in about 30 minutes and as it is cooked in one pot there is less washing up: always good! Just add some crusty bread, and you will have a complete meal!
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It is an easy recipe that will suit cooks of all skill levels.
- You can easily customise the ingredients in this soup to suit your taste; switch up the vegetables for those you prefer or have on hand.
- There is less washing up; we make this complete meal in one pot.
- It is perfect for days when time is short, but you still want to enjoy a nourishing, flavoursome meal.
- It is creamy and comforting.
Recipe Inspiration: my fondness for soup knows no bounds. I love their versatility, the countless variations and opportunities to customise them. They may be hearty and satisfying or a light broth that is light and refreshing. There is something for everyone; a good soup never disappoints, and I feel sure that you will enjoy this Creamy Orzo and Vegetable Soup.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Extra virgin olive oil: this is the least processed olive oil, made from the first pressing of the olives. It is an essential ingredient in many Mediterranean dishes. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Unsalted butter: adds richness and flavour.
- Brown/yellow onion: this is a versatile onion, suitable to be used in many dishes, but you can use a white or red onion if you prefer.
- Carrot and celery: together with the onion, this is the "soffritto", the flavour base of the soup. By gently cooking them in olive oil, flavour is extracted from the trio of vegetables.
- Garlic: my preference is fresh garlic; the flavour is superior to bottled varieties.
- Plain/all-purpose flour: a small amount helps to slightly thicken the soup.
- Vegetable stock: use homemade or good quality commercial stock. A stock with good flavour is essential as it forms the base of your soup.
- Parmesan rind: this adds great savoury flavour to soups, stews or pasta sauces. I recommend that you freeze leftover rinds in a zip lock bag. You will find many ways to use them. You can omit this if you require a vegetarian soup.
- Dried red pepper flakes: add a touch of spice.
- Dried oregano and fresh thyme: these traditional Mediterranean herbs add great flavour to the soup.
- Zucchini/courgette: a member of the summer squash family, this is an extremely versatile vegetable. You can use them in sweet or savoury dishes, such as Turkey and Vegetable Patties, Chickpea and Vegetable Stew or Zucchini and Potato Soup.
- Dried orzo pasta: orzo, also known as risoni, is a small grain pasta, made in the shape of rice.
- Thickened/heavy whipping cream: for the best result use cream that contains a minimum of 35% milk fat.
- Curly kale: this is the kale you're most likely to find at the grocery store, but you can use another variety, such as Tuscan kale, if you prefer.
- Lemon juice: for the best result, use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Flat-leaf parsley: adds a bright, fresh note when serving the soup.
Variations:
Curly kale: use baby spinach if you prefer.
Orzo: you could substitute with another small pasta such as conchiglietti, small shells, or ditalini, shaped like small tubes.
Herbs: rosemary is a good alternative to thyme, and fresh basil instead of parsley is also delicious.
Chicken: add some cooked poached chicken or leftover roast chicken for extra protein.
How To Make Creamy Orzo Soup:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 - Sauté the vegetables:
Add olive oil and butter to a large saucepan, and over medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Next, we add the garlic and cook before adding the flour stirring through.
2 - Add in the stock and seasonings:
To the saucepan, add the vegetable stock, Parmesan rind and herbs. Bring to a simmer.
3 - Add in the orzo and zucchini:
Once simmering, add the zucchini and orzo and stir well.
Cook until the pasta is a few minutes away from al dente.
4 - Add in the cream, kale and lemon:
Add in the cream, kale and lemon juice.
Simmer until the orzo is cooked. Season to taste.
Discard the Parmesan rind and ladle the soup into serving bowls. Serve sprinkled with finely chopped parsley.
Hint: a piece of Parmesan rind is a wonderful flavour booster for many dishes. I suggest that you keep leftover rind in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. There is too much flavour to discard it.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
If you are not serving the soup straight away, I recommend that you cook the orzo separately and add it when warming the soup. The pasta will absorb liquid if it sits in the broth.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The pasta will have absorbed some liquid on standing, so you may want to add more stock or water.
We don't recommend freezing this soup once prepared, as the cream can split when reheated. If you would like to freeze the soup, leave the cream out of the portion you wish to freeze - it can be added when you reheat the soup if you wish.
Top Tip:
For the best result, it is important to use good quality, fresh ingredients and have a richly flavoured stock, either homemade or store bought, as it is the base of the soup.
Serving Suggestions:
This cosy and comforting Creamy Orzo and Vegetable Soup is ideal to serve:
- For a light, satisfying lunch.
- With our No Knead Spelt Focaccia for a more substantial meal.
- As part of a potluck or gift some to a friend.
With bright, fresh flavours, I am certain this easily made Creamy Orzo and Vegetable Soup will become a family favourite. I look forward to hearing in the comments below if you give it a try.
Alex xx
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Creamy Orzo and Vegetable Soup
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium brown/yellow onion - peeled and finely diced
- 1 large carrot - washed, finely diced
- 2 ribs celery - finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon all purpose/plain flour
- 5 cups (1.25 litre) vegetable stock See Note 2
- 1 piece Parmesan rind - about 7 ½ cm/3 inches See Note 3
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme - finely chopped
- 1 medium zucchini - cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup (150 g) dried orzo/risoni pasta
- ½ cup (125 ml) heavy whipping/thickened cream See Note 4
- 2 cups curly kale - stems removed - finely chopped and firmly packed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste See Note 5
To Serve:
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley - finely chopped
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large saucepan, and over medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally.
- Add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Add the flour and stir well, and cook for a further one minute.
- To the vegetables, add in the stock, Parmesan rind and herbs. Bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add in the zucchini and orzo, and stir to ensure the orzo doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Cook for about 7-8 minutes, before adding the cream, kale and lemon juice.Simmer for a further 2 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked.
- Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. If the soup is too thick, add a little extra stock. It will thicken as it stands.Ladle the soup into bowls, discarding the Parmesan rind. Serve with a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
- Stock: you could also use chicken stock if you do not require a vegetarian soup.
- Parmesan Rind: a small piece of leftover Parmesan rind softens as the soup cooks and adds great flavour. Omit for a vegan or vegetarian soup.
- Cream: for a creamy texture and best flavour, use full-fat cream. Thickened/heavy whipping cream should have a minimum 35% fat content.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking - we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add more red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat.
- Make-ahead: if you are not serving the soup straight away, I recommend that you cook the orzo separately and add it when warming the soup as the pasta may absorb liquid as it sits in the broth.
- Storage and reheating: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave. The soup will thicken while standing, so just add some more stock or water.
- Freezing: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Angela says
Made this recently when friends were over - I was asked for the recipe (Twice). That's good recommendation. Very tasty and warming, the parmesan rind definitely adds great flavour as does the addition of lemon juice.
Alexandra Cook says
Hello Angela,
This is lovely to hear - thank you so much!
I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Alex xo