Vegetarian Orzo Soup is the perfect meal for warming up on a cold day or when you crave a hearty, comforting meal that doesn’t require a lot of work.
Vegetable orzo soup can be made on the stove top or in the Instant Pot in about 30 minutes.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase, this site may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated. Meals that are warm and hearty without requiring a lot of work or time are my favorite type of comfort meal.
A steaming pot of soup certainly fits the bill!
I love that soups are easy to adapt so you can use the ingredients you have on hand. I often make soup with leftovers from my fridge or pantry.
Soups are quite literally a melting pot of goodness and can be made with vegetables, meats and grains for a filling and delicious meal.
While I love meaty soups, a meatless option is a perfect choice for a budget-friendly dinner. Beans, grains and pasta can add bulk and flavor to make up for the meat.
After I learned how to cook orzo in the Instant Pot, I fell in love with this simple yet underappreciated pasta. Then, my Instant Pot Lemon Orzo Pasta became an instant hit.
I began trying new ways to use orzo in more recipes and decided a hearty orzo soup recipe was just the thing I needed to try.
You can make this as a stove top vegetable orzo soup or Instant Pot vegetable orzo soup.
It’s made with just a handful of ingredients and seasonings that you probably have in your pantry right now!
Pair it with a toasty grilled cheese sandwich for a filling meal the whole family will enjoy.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love:
- Italian Vegetable Beef Soup
- Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili
- Instant Pot Broccoli Soup
- Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup
- Creamy Potato Soup with Frozen Hash Browns
Instant Pot Vegetable Orzo Soup
Probably one of the best things about this vegetarian orzo soup recipe is how easily adaptable it is.
It’s incredibly easy to make stovetop vegetable orzo soup, but this recipe also translates well to the Instant Pot.
Use the saute function to soften the vegetable before adding the remaining ingredients and cooking at high pressure for 3 minutes followed by a 10-minute natural release.
Cooking in the Instant Pot won’t save you a ton of time, since the pot has to come to pressure, but it’s great to have a more hands-off option.
How to Make Vegetable Orzo Soup
It’s really easy to make vegetable orzo soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrots
- Broth (chicken or vegetable)
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Garlic Powder
- Italian Seasoning
- Dried Basil
- Black Pepper
- Dry Orzo Pasta
- Salt
How to Make It:
(Full printable recipe is available below)
Saute the vegetables. First, you’ll heat oil in a stockpot (or in your Instant Pot) and saute the onions, carrots and celery until they begin to soften and turn translucent.
Make the broth. Next, you’ll stir in the broth, tomatoes and seasonings and bring to a boil. If you’re using your pressure cooker, you’ll skip boiling and go ahead to the next step.
Add the orzo pasta. Last, you’ll add in the orzo pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes (or pressure cook for 3 minutes) or until the pasta is al dente. Season with salt and serve.
Notes and Adaptations:
- If you don’t have orzo pasta on hand, you can use another small pasta, such as small shells, ditalini, or macaroni. These slightly larger shapes may require a slightly longer cook time (4 minutes in the Instant Pot).
- This soup reheats nicely, but the pasta will absorb some of the liquid as it cools, giving a thicker consistency. When reheating, you can add a bit of water or broth to thin it.
Recommended Equipment:
Vegetable Orzo Soup (Instant Pot or Stove Top)
Vegetable orzo soup is a simple yet delicious meatless meal that satisfies! It's a quick and easy soup to whip up on even your busiest days.
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, sliced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup dry orzo pasta
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions:
- In a stockpot over medium-high heat, add olive oil.
- Once olive oil is hot, add onions, celery, and carrots. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until onions begin to soften and turn translucent.
- Add broth, crushed tomatoes, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, dried basil, and black pepper, stirring to combine.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then stir in orzo pasta.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add salt to taste, if needed.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add olive oil to the insert pot of the Instant Pot. Use the Saute function to heat the oil.
- Add onions, celery, and carrots. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until onions begin to soften and turn translucent.
- Press Cancel to turn off the Saute function. Add broth, crushed tomatoes, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, dried basil, black pepper, and orzo, stirring well to combine.
- Close the lid and set the vent to the sealed position. Select a cook time of 3 minutes at high pressure.
- When the cook time is complete, allow a 10 minute natural release, followed by a quick release of remaining pressure.
- After the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, carefully remove lid and stir contents well. Add salt to taste, if needed.
Notes
- If you don't have orzo pasta on hand, you can use another small pasta, such as small shells, ditalini, or macaroni. These larger shapes may require a slightly longer cook time (4 minutes in the Instant Pot).
- This soup reheats nicely, but the pasta will absorb some of the liquid as it cools, giving a thicker consistency. When reheating, you can add a bit of water or broth to thin it.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 205Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 604mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
Leave a Reply