White beans, tender orzo pasta, crushed tomatoes, and herbs in a savory Italian White Bean & Orzo Soup!
The other day I really wanted soup. But I was also craving pasta. It was a serious dilemma. A dilemma that only lasted about 2 minutes until I had a stroke of genius and though – duh, I can just combine them! Soup and pasta in one. Now that would be delicious. And that is how this little soup-and-pasta-thing came to be.
I was only introduced to orzo in the past couple of years and I’m pretty sad about that because I could have been enjoying it’s amazingness for so much longer had it come into my life sooner. I love orzo because it’s like a cross between rice and noodles – both of which I wholeheartedly adore – so it’s like a hybrid food.
They really should be called roodles. rice + noodles!!
Oh my gosh my life just changed forever. Roodles are officially my new favorite food.
Annnnnd my new favorite word. Yes, I have favorite words.
Besides orzo (aka roodles – gahhh that makes me so happy) we’re throwing in some white beans, diced tomatoes, and Italian seasonings into this pot of savory deliciousness. And if you’re feeling up to it, you really really should toss a teaspoon or two of crushed red pepper flakes into the soup as well. It won’t make the whole soup spicy, it just amps up the overall flavor and gives it a bit of a kick you will 100% love. I didn’t think of it until I was eating leftovers the next day and after I tried it with the crushed red pepper flakes, I about died of happiness.
We actually shared some of this soup with my broth and sister in law who just had their second baby (the chubby baby cheeks!!!) a few weeks ago because that’s what you do right? Take food to people who have big life changes? Well that’s what we did and they were so appreciative and loved the soup.
The whole thing is so incredibly simple, it comes together in about 30 minutes and is full of yummy Italian flavors. I don’t care what the weather is doing in your neck of the woods, put this soup on your menu because it is perfect for any time of year or any time of weather – rain or shine, it’s perfect!
Italian White Bean & Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- ½ yellow or white onion - diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 cups chicken broth - (or vegetable broth)
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes - drained
- 1 can cannellini beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 can white navy beans - drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes - (optional)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, orzo, and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes until garlic is fragrant and onions are tender.
- Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, beans, and Italian seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 20-25 minutes until orzo pasta is fully cooked and tender.
- If the soup is too thick, add up to 3 cups of water to get a good broth. Taste, add salt and pepper to taste and crushed red pepper flakes. Serve warm and garnish with freshly chopped basil or parsley if desired.
We absolutely loved this! Added some chicken to make the hubs happy and am excited to eat leftovers today!
I didn’t know you could crave something you’d never tasted before, but I’ve been craving this soup ever since you posted it. Sadly I somehow always had fresh produce at home that needed to be used up so I’ve had to postpone making this – until today. And I’m happy to report that my cravings were totally justified. Really tasty and comforting on a cold day.
Love this! Have made it a few times and added Italian sausage. mmmmmm
Just based on the simple ingredient list and how easy this soup was to prepare, I would have never guessed just how tasty it was. I have just had a large plate of it and quite honestly, I could go for another (if I weren’t watching my calories and already totally full from this one portion). Oh, I have had some chicken breast i my fridge which I had quickly cooked and added to the soup just to up the protein. I have yet to find a recipe on here that does not work for me. Thank you for all the yums! 🙂 Cheers from Hungary
Can you use any type of bean for this like pink beans?
Because this stay at home order has caused quite a bit of shortages in the grocery stores, I think changing the beans could be ok?! Let me know how it turns out for you!