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Tomato Orzo Soup

Made with simple ingredients, this easy and quick to make homemade vegetarian Tomato Orzo Soup is a delicious, hearty and healthy meal.

Tomato Orzo Soup served in large white mugs.

There's something so soothing about making a hot pot of soup on a cold stormy day. This delicious recipe for Tomato Orzo Soup is the perfect soup to make when you are craving something warming and comforting. And just like this simple Red Lentil Soup it is filling and nutritious.

Tomato Orzo Soup served in large white mugs.

What goes into this Tomato Orzo Soup

You don't need any complicated ingredients to make this delicious and simple tomato soup with pasta recipe.

Here's an overview of the ingredients needed. You can see the ingredient amounts and detailed step-by-step instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Ingredients Overview:

This vegetarian tomato orzo soup starts off with aromatic vegetables such as carrots, celery, onion and garlic.

Crushed tomatoes or you can use canned diced tomatoes (fire-roasted ones are really delicious).

Typical Italian seasonings such as dried bay leaves, oregano and basil are used to flavour the soup. You can also add some red pepper flakes if you would like to make it spicy.

Orzo pasta, which is a short pasta that resembles a large grain of rice, is used in this recipe. If you don't have it in your pantry, you can use macaroni or any other short-cut pasta, even broken up spaghetti works. Use gluten-free pasta if you need the soup to be gluten-free.

Fresh spinach is added near the end of cooking but can be omitted if you don't have it or just prefer to leave it out.

Tomato Orzo Soup with freshly grated Parmesan cheese in large white mug.

How to make this Soup

This soup couldn't be easier to make. Just follow the steps below for a delicious and heartwarming soup. Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions.

Steps Overview:

  1. To make this soup, heat the butter and olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped aromatics and cook them over medium-high heat. 
  2. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes and their juices. Season the soup with salt and black pepper and the Italian seasonings.
  3. Let the soup come to a boil and add the uncooked orzo. Lower the heat to a simmer and let the pasta cook in the soup until it's al dente.
  4. Add the spinach, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it wilts and the soup is ready to serve.

Tip: An alternative way of cooking this soup is to cook the pasta partway in a separate pot, then add it to the rest of the ingredients and let it finish cooking in the soup. Doing it this way prevents the pasta from absorbing too much of the soup broth. Ina Garten uses this method in her tomato soup recipe.

Variations:

There are lots of ways you can vary this tomato pasta soup. Here are some suggestions:

  • Add more vegetables. Peas, corn, green beans and cauliflower are all great options.
  • Add chickpeas, kidney or black beans.
  • If you don't need to keep this soup vegetarian, you can shred leftover rotisserie chicken and add it a few minutes before serving for a chicken orzo soup.
  • Add cooked sausage, you can use mild or hot Italian sausage.
  • For a meatball orzo soup, add beef, chicken or turkey meatballs, mini meatballs are especially fun for kids.

Serving Suggestions

Top the soup with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and if available a few thinly sliced fresh basil leaves would also be delicious.

You can also serve the soup with slices of warm crusty bread or garlic bread. If you've got some extra time on your hands, make a batch of these Sweet Potato, Parmesan and Rosemary Biscuits or these Mini Cornbread Muffins and serve them warm along with the soup.

Storage Instructions

When at room temperature, poor leftover orzo soup into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Enjoy!

More Delicious Soup Recipes

Tomato Orzo Soup served in large white mugs.

Tomato Orzo Soup

Made with simple ingredients, this easy and quick to make homemade vegetarian Tomato Orzo Soup is a delicious, hearty and healthy meal.
4.65 from 89 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6
Calories 169 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 medium garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup carrots chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • 6 cups broth vegetable or chicken
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes strained tomatoes or tomato sauce also works
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf optional
  • ¾ cup orzo pasta or pasta of choice
  • 5 cups spinach
  • Optional Topping: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add onion, saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots and celery and saute for an additional 4 minutes. 
  • Add broth, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, dried basil, dried oregano and season with salt and pepper. Let the soup come to a boil and add the orzo or pasta of choice. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally so orzo doesn't stick.
  • Taste to adjust seasoning and add spinach. Once wilted, remove bay leaves and serve soup with freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil (if available).

Notes

  1. Nutrition data doesn't include optional Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 5gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 1096mgPotassium: 552mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 6715IUVitamin C: 17.6mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 2.2mg
Keyword Orzo and Tomato Soup, Orzo Soup, Tomato Orzo Soup, Tomato Soup, Tomato Vegetable Soup
Tried this recipe? Have any questions, comments or suggestions? Leave a comment below!Mention @sweetandsavourypursuits or tag #sweetandsavourypursuits!
Recipe Rating




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Mizz P

Sunday 18th of February 2024

Very good recipe as written. I LOVE a recipe that is good "as is" and can also be modified to accommodate ingredients on hand or household tastes. You could add a cup of frozen mixed vegetables, kidney beans, some spare pesto, top with parmesan, no spinach? Use kale! Have a kid that won't eat orzo because it's "weird"? Use elbow macaroni! Add some ground beef or ground plant-based crumbles! Infinitely adaptable!

Diane Van Der Meer

Tuesday 6th of February 2024

This soup was awesome as is!

Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Wednesday 7th of February 2024

Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it .

Becky

Wednesday 27th of December 2023

I have made this many times, and it is always so delicious! The first time I saw the recipe I wanted to try it immediately. I had everything on hand except carrots, so I sautéed some frozen mixed vegetables with the onion. My family loved it so much they ask me to make it this way every time! Thank you so much for posting this recipe that has become a family favorite!

Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Thursday 28th of December 2023

That's wonderful! Thank you so much for letting me know how much your family enjoys this soup it makes me so happy to know this.

Melissa

Sunday 5th of November 2023

Love this soup! So easy to make, one of my favourite easy recipes with lots of veg incorporated!

Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Monday 6th of November 2023

That's wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to write and let me know.

Donna

Sunday 9th of April 2023

I added a pound of ground beef, small bag of frozen mixed vegetables, and used 2 each 32 oz organic chicken stock, and 23 oz stewed tomatoes. I threw in 3 handfuls of fresh organic baby spinach. Delicious! It was very hearty and perfect for the rainy chilly day we were having. Will definitely make again.

Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Sunday 9th of April 2023

Sounds delicious, love the addition of ground beef for a hearty and comforting soup!

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