Vegetable Orzo Soup
When I want a soup that’s satisfying enough to skip the extra dish, this orzo vegetable soup hits the spot. It’s full of orzo, veggies, and white beans to give you that extra nourishment!
📝 Ingredients for this orzo vegetable soup
Here are the ingredients we’re going to need for this orzo veggie soup:
- Olive oil: 4 tablespoons, divided in half for sautéing and roasting.
- Bay leaf: 1 bay leaf.
- Onion: 1 medium onion, finely chopped.
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced.
- Mushrooms: 250 grams of cremini mushrooms, sliced.
- Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon, for some extra umami.
- Butternut squash: 300 grams, peeled and chopped into small pieces.
- Spices: ½ teaspoon thyme, ¼ teaspoon rosemary, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon salt for seasoning the squash.
- White beans: 120 grams of cooked white beans.
- Water: 5 cups, used as the soup base.
- Orzo: 100 grams, added near the end.
- Fresh parsley: 5 grams, finely chopped.
- Salt and black pepper: to taste.
👨🏻🍳 How to make this orzo vegetable soup
I started by preheating the oven to 200°C (400ºF).
While the oven was warming up, I prepared the butternut squash by peeling and chopping it into small pieces, making sure they were evenly sized for roasting.
Before roasting, I tossed the butternut squash and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of thyme, ¼ teaspoon of rosemary, ¼ teaspoon of paprika, ¼ teaspoon of cumin, and ½ teaspoon of salt. I mixed everything well with my hands to ensure the squash was fully coated with the seasonings. Then, I spread the mixture onto a baking tray and roasted it for about 25 minutes.
While the squash roasted, I moved on to the cooking process. In a large pot, I heated another 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and added a bay leaf, letting it infuse its subtle aroma. Next, I added a finely chopped onion and sautéed it for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softened and turned golden. Then I added the garlic, and sautéd briefly for 45 seconds, enough for it to soften.
With the onion and garlic ready, I added 250 grams of sliced cremini mushrooms to the pot and cooked them until they released their juices, which took about 7–8 minutes. To enhance the umami flavor even more, I stirred in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and let the mushrooms cook a little longer until the liquid was absorbed.
By this time, the squash was finished roasting, so I transferred it to a bowl and blended it with an immersion blender. Then, I poured the blended squash into the pot with the mushrooms, which ended up creating the flavor base of our soup.
I added 120 grams of cooked white beans, stirring them in. Then, I poured 5 cups of water and stirred in 1 teaspoon of salt. I brought the mixture to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Afterward, I added 100 grams of orzo to the pot and reduced the heat to low. Then I adjusted the salt and seasoned with black pepper to taste, letting the flavors meld as the orzo simmered for about 5 minutes, absorbing the savory broth and plumping up beautifully.
Finally, I turned off the heat and stirred in 5 grams of freshly chopped parsley. I let the soup rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
If you enjoy hearty, nutritious soups that can act as a complete meal (just like this one), you might also like this barley and lentil soup and this yellow lentil soup — which are quite wholesome and filling. 🙂
💬 Questions people ask about this soup
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes! You can substitute orzo with another small-sized pasta like pearl, ditalini, stelline, etc.
Orzo works particularly well in this soup because its size and texture are a perfect match. If you choose a different pasta, the texture might be slightly different.
Can I make this soup gluten-free?
Yes, this soup can easily be adapted for a gluten-free version. Simply replace the orzo with a small-sized gluten-free pasta and adjust the cooking time.
Additionally, soy sauce, which usually contains wheat, can be swapped for tamari.
Do I have to roast the butternut squash?
I believe roasting the butternut squash really adds a depth of flavor that makes the soup stand out. It enhances its natural sweetness through caramelization, pairing beautifully with the spices. The soup also gains a smoother texture, elevating the overall experience.
That said, you can skip this step and cook the squash directly in the soup, but the flavor won’t be as rich or complex.
What can I use if I don’t have an immersion blender?
As an alternative to an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender or a food processor. You could also mash the squash manually with a fork.
How should I store the leftovers?
The best way to store leftovers is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The soup may thicken as it cools because of the orzo, so when reheating, I’d recommend adding a splash of water or broth to loosen it up.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes, you can freeze the soup for up to 3 months, ideally without the orzo, as the pasta tends to become mushy when thawed, affecting the texture. It’s best to cook the orzo when reheating the soup after defrosting.
Vegetable Orzo Soup
Equipment
- 1 Immersion blender (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 250 g cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 300 g butternut squash peeled and chopped
- ½ tsp thyme
- ¼ tsp rosemary
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ½ + 1 tsp salt
- 120 g white beans cooked
- 5 cups water
- 100 g orzo
- 5 g fresh parsley chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF).
- Toss squash with 2 tbsp of olive oil, thyme, rosemary, paprika, cumin, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 25 minutes.
- While the squash roasts, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add a bay leaf, followed by the onion. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, then sauté for 45 seconds.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 7-8 minutes until they release their juices. Stir in soy sauce and cook until liquid is absorbed.
- Blend the roasted squash. Add to the pot with the mushrooms.
- Stir in cooked white beans, the water, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
- Add the orzo and cook for 5 minutes. Adjust the salt and season with black pepper.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the parsley, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
🌟 Enjoyed this recipe? I’d love to hear about it!
If you made this recipe, please take a moment to leave a rating and share your thoughts in the comments below. Your feedback helps others discover these recipes and inspires me to keep creating more yummy food for you!
And if you share your delicious creation on Instagram or Facebook, don’t forget to tag us @gentle_plate — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!
