Bring a taste of Italy into your home with this delicious Orzo Minestrone! This is a dish you will find yourself coming back to again and again.
Filling and flavorful, this Italian vegetable soup becomes a meal in itself when served with a robust, whole-grain bread and a green salad. This soup keeps well and develops more flavor as it goes.
How to Make Orzo Minestrone
- Sauté garlic and onions.
- Add carrots and celery, and bring to boil.
- Add more veggies and spices.
- Let simmer while cooking the orzo separately.
- Stir pasta and remaining ingredients into soup.
- Simmer a bit longer, then serve.
Full directions for how to make Orzo Minestrone are in the printable recipe card below.
Orzo Minestrone FAQs
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a type of pasta that looks like rice. It can double as a grain or a pasta and is often used in soups.
Where does minestrone soup come from?
Minestrone soup comes from Italy. It is traditionally a vagetable soup with a tomato base and some kind of grain, usually pasta or rice. This recipe combines the two options by using orzo!
How long will this soup last?
You can keep this soup in your fridge up to 5 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container. And you'll definitely want to reheat your soup before you eat it again!
Explore other recipes for hearty winter soups.
Recipe
Orzo Minestrone
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 medium celery stalks diced
- 1 cup green beans trimmed and cut into ½-inch lengths; use frozen if good fresh green beans are unavailable
- 14-16 oz tomatoes diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ¼ cup dry red wine optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ⅔ cup orzo or rosa marina-rice-shaped pasta
- 15-16 oz chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
- Add the onions and garlic, and sauté over medium-low heat until golden.
- Add the carrots, celery, and just enough water to cover. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Add the green beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, optional wine, bay leaves, basil, and oregano.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer very gently until the vegetables tender but not overdone, about 40 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the orzo in a separate saucepan according to package directions until al dente, then drain.
- Stir the cooked orzo, chickpeas, and parsley into the soup. Adjust the consistency with more water if necessary, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Simmer over very low heat for 5 minutes longer, then serve.
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