Cozy up with a warm bowl of Tomato Orzo Soup! Tender orzo and white beans are served in a thick, robust tomato broth that’s bursting with fresh flavor. This is one of my favorite protein packed meatless dinners!
Tomato Orzo Soup
There’s something pretty satisfying about bites of white beans and orzo in a thick tomato broth, especially when that broth is garlicky! This vegetarian soup really hits the spot and doesn’t leave you hungry for more since it’s got all those protein-packed white beans. Whether it’s the dead of winter or a warm summer evening, this soup is always a great option! It’s warm and cozy but still has a light, bright quality to it. This is one of those evergreen recipes that I can whip out all year round. Plus, since it’s super inexpensive and takes me less than 30 minutes to make, you can bet I’m making it on a monthly basis.
Enjoy more of my favorite easy soup recipes like Black Bean Soup, Spring Chickpea Soup, and Broccoli Cheddar Soup!
What kind of pot should I use?
I highly recommend using an enamel Dutch oven when making tomato soup. If you use a copper or aluminum pot, you could end up with a metallic taste in your soup.
How to Make Tomato Orzo Soup
- Sauté. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft, then stir in the garlic.
- Add tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook until a deep burgundy color. This is what gives it a good, deep flavor.
- Add more ingredients. Pour in the tomato sauce, broth, basil, and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
- Add orzo and beans. Lower the heat and stir in the orzo and beans. Cook until the orzo is tender.
- Season. Now for the fun part! Do a quick taste test and see if you need any more seasonings. Enjoy!
Storing Tomato Orzo Soup
Once it’s cool, store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the orzo may absorb liquid the longer it sits, so the consistency of the soup may be a bit different than it was originally once reheated.
I don’t recommend freezing this soup, as it will not hold up well.
Ingredient Notes for Tomato Orzo Soup
- Butter – I like using salted butter for this recipe, but unsalted works fine as well.
- Onion – A white or yellow onion works best. Don’t use a red onion.
- Garlic – Please use fresh garlic if you can! It will lend the best flavor to this soup.
- Tomato Paste – It’s important to let this cook until deepened in color so it has more of a caramelized quality to it. If not cooked well, it may lend a metallic taste.
- Tomato Sauce – This is the key component of the broth. Don’t swap it with anything else!
- Vegetable Broth – You can swap this with chicken broth. Just note that if you make that change, this will no longer be a vegetarian meal.
- Seasonings – I like to use a blend of dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Adjust as needed! Keep in mind that just a pinch of sugar helps to balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes without making the soup taste sweet.
- Orzo – Another short pasta like ditalini or small shells will work too. Note that short pasta like orzo cooks quickly, so don’t stray too far from your pot.
- White Beans – Make sure they’re drained and rinsed well. You don’t want to add extra liquid to the soup!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Tomato Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Salted butter
- 1 Small onion finely chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 15oz Can Tomato sauce
- 4 Cups Low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tsp Dried basil
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 3/4 Cup Orzo
- 1 15oz Can White beans drained and rinsed
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and sauté the onions until soft then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it has deepened in color.
- Add the tomato sauce, vegetable broth, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the orzo and white beans.
- Cook for 7-8 minutes until the orzo is tender, stirring constantly so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Taste and add more seasonings as needed, then serve hot with garlic bread and fresh basil for garnish if desired.
Notes
This tomato orzo soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
