Cozy, delicious and packed with fresh veggies, this one-pot vegetable soup with orzo makes a hearty meal that’s perfect for cold days.
There’s nothing better than the delicious aromas from a big pot of delicious soup simmering on the stove on a cold weather day. This recipe is perfect when you want something warm, healthy and comforting but don’t have all day to be in the kitchen. Made with simple ingredients, this hearty veggie soup delicious on its own or makes the perfect accompaniment to a salad, melty grilled cheese or as an appetizer.
My favorite thing about this soup is that it’s easy to customize with whatever ingredients you have on hand. A classic blend of vegetables and pasta in a flavorful tomato broth – a big bowl of this soup is sure to please everyone’s tastes!
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Why you will love this recipe
- It’s made in one pot with minimal cook time. No all day simmering on the stove necessary!
- It’s very forgiving and easy to incorporate whatever kind of hearty vegetables and leafy greens you have on hand.
- It’s packed with nutritious ingredients and a good thing to have stashed in the fridge or freezer for a quick and healthy meal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This healthy vegetable soup is easy to make and totally customizable with lots of substitutions.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion – yellow, white or sweet onion.
- Garlic
- Spinach – you can also substitute kale, Swiss chard, collard greens or any kind of sturdy, leafy green.
- Peas
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes – you can also use a can of regular diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes with a little bit of tomato paste for extra concentrated flavor.
- Fresh herbs – fresh parsley is what I use. Cilantro and basil or a mix will also work.
- Orzo – a short cut pasta, also known as risoni, shaped like a large grain of rice. Any kind of pastina or small pasta like stars or mini tubes will work. To make a gluten free version, use gluten free pasta or skip the pasta and use diced potatoes, sweet potatoes or butternut squash.
- Low sodium vegetable stock – I always go with a low sodium broth and adjust the seasoning to taste in all recipes. You can use store bought or homemade vegetable broth or chicken broth.
- Dried Herbs – oregano, thyme and basil or use Italian seasoning
- Olive oil, salt and black pepper
- Toppings – croutons, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil is how I like to dress it up.
- Variations – bell peppers, corn, zucchini, green beans, chard, kale or any other soup-friendly variety of vegetables and leafy greens will work in this recipe. For more protein, you can also add in a can of white beans, chickpeas or some leftover chicken breast. Make a creamy soup by adding some evaporated milk, heavy cream or coconut cream.
Method
Start by prepping the veggies. Dice the onion, celery and carrots and mince the garlic cloves. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery and carrots for 6-8 minutes until slightly softened. Add in garlic and dried herbs and cook for another minute.
Add fire roasted diced tomatoes, orzo and broth and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes, then add in frozen peas and cook for another 3-4 minutes until orzo is al dente. Orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot so be sure to scrape thoroughly and stir occasionally throughout the process.
Wilt in the spinach and stir in fresh herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve topped with croutons, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
Storage and tips
- Let the soup cool completely before storing. Leftovers will last 4-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- To freeze, pack cooled soup in a freezer bag or freezer safe container for 3-4 months.
- The orzo will absorb a lot of liquid as the soup sits and cause it to thicken. You can thin the leftover servings with more broth or enjoy it as is.
- I would recommend making this soup on the stovetop and not in the pressure cooker or slow cooker. It does not take long for the vegetables to become tender. Orzo is also a very small, quick cooking pasta. Overcooking it could cause it to become gummy or mushy.
- If you save your parmesan rinds to add maximum flavor to soups, this is a great recipe to toss one in!
What to serve with homemade vegetable soup
- Crusty bread.
- Melty grilled cheese or your favorite sandwich.
- Loaded baked potatoes.
- This Wedge Salad, Crispy Goat Cheese Salad or Beets and Burrata with Pistachio Vinaigrette.
- As an appetizer with Roast Chicken, Roast Beef or Baked Fish.
More healthy cozy soups
Vegetable Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery diced (about 1 cup)
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup dried orzo
- 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 big handfuls baby spinach
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: croutons red pepper flakes and pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Begin by prepping all of the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat and add diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 7-8 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add minced garlic, a small pinch of salt and a few turns of fresh cracked black pepper and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add in dried thyme, oregano and basil and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add in dried orzo, fire roasted tomatoes and vegetable broth. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the pot to a boil. Stir occasionally, scraping up any orzo that sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the pot is boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in frozen peas and cook for another 3-4 minutes until peas are heated through and orzo pasta is al dente.
- Wilt in baby spinach and stir in fresh parsley.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot topped with croutons, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes to taste.
Jazz
I love how quick and simple this recipe is. Yesterday, I was craving soup but didn’t want to have the stove on for long because it’s been so hot here lately. You vegetable orzo soup fit the bill and now I have tasty leftovers. Thanks!
Kaluhi
This is one of the most delightful soups I have ever had! I am especially happy I made plenty because it allowed me to freeze some (thanks for the tip!!) and enjoy the same for later!
Robin
Orzo is one of my favorite pastas but I hadn’t cooked with it in years, so I was thrilled to come across this recipe. The flavorful broth combined with the al dente orzo is exactly what our dinner table needed.
Marta
I made this vegetable orzo soup for our meatless Monday meal because I needed something comforting. It was so filling without making me feel like I gorged myself. The fire roasted tomatoes are a must, too, as they add smokiness that’s amazing.