Italian Orzo Soup
This is my kind of convenience food- studded with a rainbow of vegetables and a healthy dose of orzo pasta, this recipe is a staple in my house. As much as I enjoy spending my evenings in the kitchen, I appreciate meals that do double duty. Put this one on at 6PM, and dinner is ready by 6:30 with enough for lunch leftovers for the next day.
If you need any more convincing, know that each bowl of this noodle soup is just 288 calories, 4g fat, 7g of fiber and 14g of protein. Nutrient density, it’s how #pastafits.
The inspiration for this one came from the Weight Watchers cabbage soup that my mom used to make almost weekly growing up. Even then, I knew the nutritious powers of soup and ate more bowls of cabbage simmered in V8 juice than any 8 year-old ever should have.
I like to consider this a sexier version of that famous soup; throwing out the cabbage and swapping in tiny orzo noodles and chunks of fresh vegetables instead.
The real beauty of this meal is that you feel like you are eating a large bowl of pasta for relatively little calories. While I eat pasta on an almost daily basis, I like to balance my intake with an almost 1:1 ratio of noodles to vegetables. It’s my secret for giving into my Italian genes while also being conscious of fitting into my jeans.
Once you’ve sauteed the vegetables and added in the tomatoes and broth, throw in the ozro and let it cook in the excess liquid. This allows the noodles to soak up the broth, adding flavor and cutting down on any extra prep time. If you find that your noodles have taken up too much of the beloved sauce, feel free to add in more.
I made this one a few weeks ago, then doubled it the following day to freeze for our event-filled month. While it’s hard keeping leftovers of this in the house, if you do find yourself with any- know that this one can easily be frozen and reheated.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Italian Orzo Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 3 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1 large or 2 medium yellow squash, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes in broth
- 6-8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups orzo
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic cloves along with the dried spices, a large pinch of salt and stir to combine.
- Add the chopped zucchini and squash and cook another 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add the bay leaf, diced tomatoes and 6 cups vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
- Add the orzo and cook for roughly 10 minutes until orzo is cooked through and al dente. Since the orzo will continue to swell as the soup cooks, add more broth as needed.
- Remove bay leaf and enjoy!