Italian Orzo Tomato Spinach Soup
This soup is loaded with classic Italian flavors and it's simple to make! Orzo tomato spinach soup is completely vegetarian friendly and it's so warm and comforting! The perfect soup so serve on a chilly day.
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1//2 cups chopped onions
- 1 1/4 cup carrots sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
- 1 cup celery
- 6 cloves of roasted garlic see notes
- 6 1/2 cups of vegetable stock or chicken
- 2 14.5 oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 1/2 cups orzo whole wheat or regular
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 3 cups baby spinach packed
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté them for 4-5 minutes until they get soft. Add the carrots, celery, and roasted garlic and continue to sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add the stock, along with the tomatoes, pesto, orzo, thyme, Italian seasoning, and oregano, stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and let the orzo pasta cook to al-dente, about 10 minutes, stir occasionally.
- Just before serving, add the baby spinach and continue to cook for 1 minutes or until the spinach gets nice and bright green and wilts down. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Notes
- Roasted garlic can be found in jars in the International food aisle in most grocery stores. You can also substitute fresh garlic for this recipe.
- To roast your own garlic: Heat an oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Peel off most of the paper from the garlic, leaving the head intact with the cloves attached. Trim the top off the head of garlic by 1/4 inch. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the exposed surface, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and bake for 40 minutes. Check the garlic, it is done when the center clove is completely soft with pierced with a paring knife. Continue roasting for an additional 5 -10 minutes to help deepen the golden color and caramelize further. Exact roasting time may vary due to size. Garlic can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks and frozen for up to 3 months.
