Italian Orzo Soup with Tomatoes, White Beans & Spinach

Italian orzo soup is a brothy, Italian-inspired one-pot soup made with small rice-shaped pasta, tomatoes, white beans, vegetables, and spinach. It is filling without being heavy, and the pasta cooks right in the seasoned broth for a simple weeknight meal; family and regional versions vary, so this recipe is a flexible home-style version rather than a claim to one definitive tradition.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
2 medium carrots, diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
2 celery ribs, diced, about 1 cup (100 g)
4 garlic cloves, minced, about 12 g
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried basil
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste
1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces (411 g), with their juices
6 cups (1.42 L) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 dried bay leaf
1 can cannellini beans, 15 ounces (425 g), drained and rinsed, about 1½ cups (255 g) drained
1 cup (170 g) dry orzo
3 packed cups (90 g) baby spinach
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (45 g) finely grated Parmesan, optional, plus extra for serving

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery; mince the garlic; drain and rinse the beans; and measure out the orzo and seasonings. Allow about 15 minutes for this prep. Having everything ready helps you add the orzo at the right point, since it cooks quickly and can turn soft if left simmering too long.
Soften the vegetables. Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, then cook for 7 minutes, stirring every minute or two. The onion should look translucent and the vegetables should begin to soften, but they do not need to brown. If the pot looks dry or the onion starts catching, lower the heat slightly.
Build the tomato base. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously so the garlic does not scorch and the paste coats the vegetables. Pour in the diced tomatoes and broth, add the bay leaf, and bring the pot to a gentle simmer, allowing about 3 minutes for the liquid to heat. Simmer for 10 minutes so the vegetables soften further and the broth takes on the tomato and herb flavors.
Cook the beans and orzo. Stir in the drained cannellini beans and dry orzo. Keep the soup at a steady, gentle simmer for about 9 minutes, stirring regularly and scraping the bottom of the pot. Check the pasta near the end: it should be tender with a slight bite, not mushy. Orzo brands vary, so follow the package time if it differs and begin checking a minute or two early. If the soup boils hard, reduce the heat; vigorous boiling can make the pasta unevenly soft.
Finish the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 minute, just until wilted. Add the lemon juice and Parmesan, if using, and stir for another minute. Taste the broth and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon. Serve while hot, with extra Parmesan at the table.

Tips

Choose the broth carefully. Low-sodium broth gives you room to season at the end, while regular broth can make the soup too salty once it reduces slightly. If regular broth is what you have, start with less added salt and taste before serving.
Stir the bottom of the pot. Orzo can settle and stick as it cooks, especially in a thick-bottomed pot or near the end of its cooking time. Stir every couple of minutes and keep the simmer gentle rather than letting the soup boil rapidly.
Use a practical bean substitute. Great Northern beans or chickpeas can replace cannellini beans in the same drained quantity. Great Northern beans stay similarly creamy; chickpeas are firmer and give each spoonful a slightly different texture.
Keep the pasta from overcooking. The recipe is best served soon after the orzo is tender. If you know you will have leftovers, cook the orzo separately and add it to individual bowls; it will not continue swelling in the stored soup.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup in warm bowls with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of good olive oil, and black pepper. A little lemon zest or a few drops of lemon juice at the table can brighten a bowl that tastes especially rich or tomato-heavy. Put extra cheese and red pepper flakes on the table so people can season their own portions.

For a fuller meal, pair the soup with crusty bread, garlic toast, or focaccia for dipping. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette balances the soft pasta and creamy beans, while roasted vegetables make a useful side when you are feeding a larger group. If serving bread, warm it just before dinner so it is crisp outside and easy to tear into the broth.

Variations

Add vegetables: Stir in a small diced zucchini with the tomatoes, or add chopped kale in place of spinach. Kale needs a few minutes longer to soften, so add it with the beans and orzo. Frozen peas can go in during the final 2 minutes; there is no need to thaw them first.

Make it more substantial: Add another drained can of beans, or serve the soup with a protein on the side. For a meat version, brown Italian sausage in the pot before cooking the onion, then drain excess grease if needed. Ground sausage must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71°C), checked with a food thermometer, before you add the broth. Sausage is seasoned, so reduce the added salt until you taste the finished soup.

Adjust the flavor: Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian soup, or chicken broth for a deeper savory base. A Parmesan rind can simmer with the broth and be removed with the bay leaf; it adds a rounded, salty flavor, so taste before adding more salt. For a dairy-free bowl, leave out the Parmesan and finish with olive oil. For more heat, increase the red pepper flakes gradually.

Make it gluten-free: Replace the orzo with a small gluten-free pasta, checking its package directions because cook times and liquid absorption vary. Some gluten-free shapes soften quickly, so simmer them separately and spoon them into bowls before adding soup. Rice is another option, but it changes the texture and needs its own cooking time, so cook it separately rather than assuming the orzo timing will work.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours in a covered, shallow container. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The orzo continues to absorb broth as it sits, so the next-day soup will be thicker; loosen each portion with a splash of water or broth while reheating. Add liquid gradually so the soup stays flavorful instead of becoming diluted.

Reheat soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS temperature for reheated leftovers. A microwave also works: cover the bowl loosely, heat in short intervals, and stir between intervals so the center heats evenly. Add a little fresh spinach or lemon after reheating if you want to refresh the flavor.

For better freezer texture, freeze the tomato, vegetable, and bean soup base without the orzo for up to 3 months, then cook fresh orzo and add it when serving. If freezing soup that already contains pasta, it is still safe to freeze, but the orzo may become softer after thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C); do not leave the soup at room temperature to thaw.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook the orzo separately?

Yes. Cook it in a separate pot of salted water according to the package directions, drain it, and spoon it into bowls before ladling in the soup. This is the best approach if you are making the soup ahead, expect leftovers, or want to control how much pasta goes into each serving. It also makes it easier to adjust the broth without accounting for pasta absorbing liquid.

Why did my soup become so thick?

Orzo releases starch and absorbs broth as it cooks, then continues absorbing liquid while the soup rests and chills. Stir in warm broth or water a little at a time until the consistency is right. Next time, cook the orzo separately if you want the soup to remain brothy for several days, or add extra broth when reheating rather than increasing the salt.

Can I make Italian orzo soup ahead?

Yes, but for the best pasta texture, prepare the soup through the simmering of the vegetables and beans, then refrigerate the base and cook fresh orzo in it when you are ready to serve. Keep the base refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking and use it within 3 to 4 days. If you cook the orzo in advance, expect it to soften and thicken the soup as it sits.

What can I use instead of spinach?

Chopped kale, Swiss chard, or escarole all work. Add sturdy kale earlier, with the beans and orzo, so it has time to soften; add tender greens such as chard leaves or escarole near the end. Frozen chopped spinach is also convenient: thaw it and squeeze out excess water first, then stir it in during the final minute or two.

Is this soup vegetarian?

It is vegetarian when made with vegetable broth and without Parmesan made with animal rennet. Check the cheese label if that matters for your diet, or omit it and finish with olive oil. Using chicken broth or sausage makes the soup nonvegetarian, while the beans, vegetables, and pasta otherwise remain the same.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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