This easy Tomato Orzo Soup is quick to make, uses simple ingredients and is as delicious as it is healthy and hearty.
If you like this soup, you may also want to try this Creamy Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup.
This delicious recipe for a homemade 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 and on regular rotation during soup season!
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How to Make it
This soup couldn't be easier to make. Here's an overview of the simple ingredients needed to make this vegetarian tomato orzo soup. You can see the ingredient amounts and detailed step-by-step instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Ingredients Overview
- Olive oil and butter
- Garlic, onion, carrots and celery
- Broth: Vegetable or chicken can be used depending on whether you need the soup to be vegetarian.
- Crushed tomatoes or you can use canned diced tomatoes (fire-roasted ones are really delicious).
- Salt, pepper and Italian seasonings such as dried bay leaves, oregano and basil are used to flavor the soup. You can also add some red pepper flakes if you would like to make it spicy.
- Orzo pasta: This is a short pasta that resembles a large grain of rice. 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.
- Spinach: This is added near the end of cooking but can be omitted if you don't have it or just prefer to leave it out.
Steps Overview
- 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.
- Add the broth, crushed tomatoes and their juices. Season the soup with salt and black pepper and the Italian seasonings.
- 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.
- 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. I do not recommend freezing leftovers since pasta tends to become mushy after thawing.
Enjoy!
More Delicious Soup Recipes
- Beef Barley Soup
- Easy Black Bean Soup
- Creamy Asparagus Soup
- Creamy Leek and Potato Soup
- Red Lentil and Cauliflower Soup
Tomato Orzo Soup
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 or strained tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 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
- Store leftover tomato orzo soup into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days.
- Nutrition data doesn't include optional Parmesan cheese.
Cheryl says
Can I blend it before adding the orzo
Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Yes, you'll just need to let the soup simmer until the vegetables are tender enough to blend.
Simone says
I l❤️ve this soup. Easy to make and you can add other veggies depending on what you have on hand. It’s our family go-to! Thank you☺️
Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Yay! I'm thrilled you enjoy it! So happy it's become a family favorite for you .
Charlene says
Anxious to make this soup for our weekly family dinner. I use crushed tomatoes often but I don't understand the reasoning behind straining the crushed tomatoes. Thoughts?
Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
There is no need to strain the crushed tomatoes, you just have the option to use crushed tomatoes, strained tomatoes or tomato sauce to make the soup :). Hope you enjoy it!
Mizz P says
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 says
This soup was awesome as is!
Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it .
Becky says
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 says
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 says
Love this soup! So easy to make, one of my favourite easy recipes with lots of veg incorporated!
Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
That's wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to write and let me know.