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Warming 20 minute Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup. Kind of like creamy risotto, kind of like soup, and so DELICIOUS. This is wholesome but comforting and the easiest to make using just one pot and 20 minutes. It’s warm and creamy, swirled with basil pesto, and finished with parmesan and a pinch of black pepper. Doesn’t get simpler or more delicious.
Sometimes it’s the simplest of recipes that really do turn out the most delicious. And that’s definitely the case with today’s recipe. It’s perfect for this time of year when we’re still craving comfort food on these cold winter days, but also wanting something lighter. It also makes for a nice Valentine’s Day recipe too.
This is a great mix. Originally when I set out to make this I was thinking it would be more of a soup. And it is, but this is an ultra-creamy soup.
A bit of a cross between soup, creamy pasta, and rice stew. So just as you would expect, it’s delicious.
When my sister-in-law Lyndsie was in town over Christmas, she pretty much begged for a white bean soup. It’s one of her favorites and she said I never make anything with beans, which isn’t a lie. The family that’s here is not the biggest fan of beans. But I do love to experiment with them when Lynds and/or my cousins are in town.
Anyway, I never got around to making the soup over Christmas. But once I had this idea, I knew it would be delicious, Lyndsie fully agreed.
The details
With a 20 to 30 minute start to finish time, you can imagine the steps are pretty simple. First up, you only need one pot. No sauces, nothing extra, just one pot.
Start with olive oil, shallots, and garlic. To keep things simple, I just used smashed garlic cloves to infuse the oil. Then some butter goes in and then the orzo.
Any time I’m cooking with orzo, I love to toast it in butter before adding in any liquid. This just adds another layer of flavor as the butter cooks around the orzo.
Then comes the chicken broth or veggie broth, along with white beans, and kale. You could easily use spinach in place of kale. From here, simply simmer until the orzo is al dente and things are becoming very creamy.
Stir in the pesto and lots of parmesan and finish it off with lemon.
That’s it. Absolutely nothing fancy, but totally delicious.
For serving
I usually add a little fresh dill and black pepper, but parsley or basil work really well too.
Then, some crusty bread on the side is a must.
It’s different, but so, so good. And who couldn’t love such an easy Monday recipe? Especially after the Super Bowl. I feel like we need this today! Happy Valentine’s day!
Looking for other quick recipes? Here are my favorites:
Baked Sesame Orange Cauliflower
One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
Skillet Chicken Adobo with Coconut Rice
Lastly, if you make this Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1331 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic, smashed
- red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can white beans
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 bunch kale, finely shredded
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1/2 cup whole milk or canned full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Drop in the butter, then stir in the orzo. Cook until golden, 1-3 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the beans and kale. Season with salt and pepper. If you have one, add a parmesan rind. Simmer 8-10 minutes until the orzo is al dente, stirring often. It should become very creamy.2. Stir in the pesto, milk, parmesan, and lemon, cook another few minutes until warmed through. 3. Divide the orzo and broth among bowls and add additional parmesan and black pepper. I like to add some fresh dill, parsley, or basil too!
Notes
Thickening: the orzo will soak up the broth over time. If eating leftover, add additional broth to thin. It should be creamy, but with just a touch of liquid.
This post was originally published on February 14, 2022
Loved this soup! We devoured it. I left out the butter and cream, halved the orzo and beans. Was so tasty!
Hey there,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan
Made this tonight. Flavor was really good with the hint of lemon and the pesto. Great comfort meal. I’m assuming that the can of white beans was to be rinsed and drained, not used with the liquid? The recipe didn’t specify.
The only thing I didn’t like about this recipe is that the orzo absorbs the broth SO much that I had to add more broth even when the soup just sat on the stove for a few minutes after it was done cooking, right before serving.
Hi Melanie,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) Thanks for sharing your feedback, the beans can just be drained. xTieghan
Amazing! I used spinach as well, loved it all around. Super easy, delicious and no mess! That’s what I call a perfect dinner. thank you 🙂
Hi Beckie,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan
This was unbelievable. My baby also couldn’t get it in her mouth fast enough. 10/10
Hi Nicole,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan
Did anyone else have an issue with the parmesan cheese not dispersing through the soup? Every time I stir with my wooden spoon it’s coated in parmesan cheese. I made this early in the day, I’m hoping it reheats well for dinner.
Hey Vicki,
So sorry to hear this!! What kind of parmesan did you use? Let me know how I can help! xx
Have made this twice. Sent one batch with my son for a ski weekend. Second time, I cut the amount of orzo in half so it would be soupier. Delicious!!!
Hey Joanie,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
delicious, quick and easy!
Hey Gigi,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
Lots of delicious flavor for a soup so quick to make.
Hi Marjorie,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
I’ve made 4 HBH recipes in the last 4 days. I’ve loved them all, but this is definitely my favourite. Easy to make and so tasty. I didn’t have kale so I substituted spinach. Will make it again!
Hey Kelly,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
I made this in 31 minutes including prep! And I ate it in 4 minutes lol!! It was so good. I was able to make this and adequately clean up before a late afternoon meeting, with some time to spare. Pretty impressive!
Hey Sally,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
This was delicious!!!!!
Hey there,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
Just made this and it is such a flavor bomb in your mouth! So easy to make and delish!
Thank you halfbakedharvet ?
One good recipe after another! Always!
Hey Marissa,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!! xT
Fantastic! Next time I want to incorporate some chicken or turkey. I think maybe just shredded chicken with the beans. And probably more kale. It was somewhere between and soup and risotto as you said and that was perfect. Yum!
Hey Gretchen,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!! xT
Super easy and DELICIOUS!! I accidentally added a whole can of the coconut milk but it still was great. Will be keeping in rotation for quick weeknight dinners.
Hi Kaitlin,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a go:) xTieghan
I am 5 weeks postpartum w/ baby 3 and trying to get back into a groove of cooking dinner. This is amazingly delicious, comforting and ready SO FAST! Will definitely be adding this in my regular rotation. Thank you again, Tieghan!
Hi Michelle,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a go:) xTieghan
It’s still freezing here in PA so this was the perfect dinner. So easy and fast! I used spinach because I was doing a quick target run for the ingredients and they didn’t have kale. But it still worked perfect! The flavors in this are just so tasty! Can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunches.
Hi Danielle,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan