Italian Orzo Spinach Soup – Fresh, Flavorful, and Family-Friendly
This Italian Orzo Spinach Soup is quick to make, bursting with zesty Italian flavors, and incredibly cozy. Perfect for a satisfying meal any day of the week!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 to 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 cup (8 ounces) uncooked orzo pasta
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach or kale
Fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh basil
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
2. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
3. Pour in the stock, add the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and sprinkle in the Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer.
5. Stir in the uncooked orzo. Cover the pot with a lid and let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom, until the orzo is just al dente.
6. Stir the fresh spinach or kale into the soup until wilted.
7. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
To make this soup vegetarian or vegan, use vegetable stock and skip the Parmesan cheese.
This soup thickens as it sits due to the orzo absorbing liquid. Add extra broth or water when reheating if needed.
You can swap spinach for kale or other leafy greens depending on what you have.
Find it online: https://cookingwithramsay.com/italian-orzo-spinach-soup/