Get the Recipe: Lemon and Spinach Orzo Soup
My Lemon and Spinach Orzo Soup is one of those bowls of sunshine that tastes like summer. There’s just something about that ziiiiing when you take that first bite and your eyes open a little wider and then you have the comfort from the broth. It’s truly a delight to enjoy no matter the time of year.
Ingredients
- a good drizzle of olive oil, extra-virgin
- 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- a pinch red chili flakes, optional
- 6 cups vegetable broth, or more if needed
- ½ heaping cup orzo, dried pasta
- 1 cup half and half, can be substituted with a non-dairy creamer such as unsweetened coconut milk to make this soup vegan
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 medium lemon , a bit of zest and juice
Optional Toppings:
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- fresh herbs would also be nice
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven
Instructions
- Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add in the
- Add in carrots, onion, celery, and saute until the vegetables start to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and red chili flakes, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in vegetable broth and bring soup to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the orzo and boil just until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Once settled, stir in the half and half and add in salt and pepper to your liking. Add in the spinach and simmer just until the spinach is wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and zest in a bit of your lemon and a give a few squeezes of lemon juice and stir that in.
- Ladle soup into your bowls and garnish with Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
The pasta may absorb some of your liquid so, if it gets too thick, then simply add a little more water in to thin it out a bit.
My favorite low sodium vegetable broth to use is this one. It also gives it this beautiful rich yellow color.
Serving: 8ounces, Calories: 135kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 1483mg, Potassium: 350mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 7482IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 107mg, Iron: 1mg