Is orzo pasta or rice?

Despite the fact it looks like rice, orzo is in fact pasta.

Orzo is a pasta so it is not gluten-free. There are, however, gluten-free orzo options available.

How long does orzo vegetable soup last?

Store leftover orzo vegetable soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Orzo Vegetable Soup - The Real Recipes

Name: Orzo Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 2 medium carrots, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 3/4 tsp. table salt, divided, plus more to taste; 1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided, plus more to taste; 1 medium zucchini, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 Tbsp. tomato paste; 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning blend; 1 cup orzo; 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced or petite diced tomatoes; 1 (14.5 oz.) can navy beans, drained and rinsed (or cannellini, great northern or chickpeas); 6-8 cups vegetable broth, more as needed; 5 oz. (8 loosely packed cups) baby spinach; chopped parsley, for garnish; lemon wedges, for serving

Description

This comforting Orzo Vegetable Soup recipe is incredibly simple, nourishing and ready in about 30 minutes. It is packed with fresh vegetables, orzo and herbs, making this a hearty, cozy soup perfect for any time of the year.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3/4 tsp. table salt, divided, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided, plus more to taste
1 medium zucchini, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning blend
1 cup orzo
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced or petite diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can navy beans, drained and rinsed (or cannellini, great northern or chickpeas)
6–8 cups vegetable broth, more as needed
5 oz. (8 loosely packed cups) baby spinach
chopped parsley, for garnish
lemon wedges, for serving

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Instructions

Add oil, onion, carrots and celery to a heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions star to turn translucent. sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Add the zucchini, garlic, tomato paste and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the orzo then add the tomatoes and their juices, beans and 6 cups of the broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking, until the orzo is tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook until wilted, another 1 minute. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, or more to taste. Serve the soup with parsley and lemon wedges on the side. Add more of the broth, if desired.

Notes

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Or freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding more vegetable broth or even water.
The orzo will absorb the broth the longer it sits so you may want to adjust the consistency with more water or broth.
You can use a range of vegetables including summer squash, green beans, Swiss chard, baby kale or bell peppers.
Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot as the soup simmers to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Soups
Method: Simmering
Cuisine: American