Description
Italian Orzo Spinach Soup is a cozy, Italian-inspired vegetable soup made with tender orzo pasta, fresh spinach, fire-roasted tomatoes, and aromatic herbs. Ready in just 35 minutes, this nourishing soup is light, flavorful, and perfect for weeknight dinners or healthy meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 6–8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach or kale
- Fine sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and sauté 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in stock, add fire-roasted tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in orzo, cover, and simmer 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
- Add spinach and cook 1–2 minutes until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan or fresh basil if desired.
Notes
For meal prep, store soup separately from extra orzo to prevent thickening. Add a splash of stock when reheating. Ricotta or lemon juice can be stirred in at the end for extra creaminess or brightness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: Italian orzo spinach soup, orzo soup, Italian vegetable soup, healthy Italian soup