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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
Made this for dinner tonight and the whole family raved about it-including the kids! Easy enough for a weeknight meal but satisfying enough and even fancy enough to serve to company! Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
Hi Jen,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
Hi, I’m literally at this moment in the middle of making this recipe and I’m sure it’s going to be delish. But, please HELP, should I drain the beans?
Hi Donna,
Yes, you can drain the beans. Please let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope you love it!! xx
This was really tasty! I added 1/2 cup of white wine after the orzo toasted and before the stock and subbed spinach for kale. I’ll definitely be making this again!
Hi Amanda,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
This was delicious! Came together easily and the only thing I changed was I used baby spinach instead of kale. The lemon and basil pesto added such lovely flavors – definitely a keeper.
Hi Jean,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xx
I made this recipe exactly as written for my book club. Everyone asked for the recipe and several people went back for seconds (unheard of!!). It was delicious and hearty because of how thick it was. I will absolutely make this again.
Hey Katie,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xx
Absolutely LOVED this dish. Besides the easy prep, the layers of flavor, enhanced by the lemon make it an all time favorite. I couldn’t wait to get fresh kale so I used a box of frozen chopped spinach. It’s truly more like risotto which is a bonus
I’d like to know if anyone has made this recipe with the coconut milk and if so what did you think about the taste. Did the coconut overshadow the pesto and lemon?
Hi Janice,
Coconut milk will definitely work for you, you might notice a slight coconut flavor. Let me know if you give the recipe a try!! xx
Hi Paula,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xx
Yum, so good! Lemony and bright and perfect for the transition into spring…We are big carnivores here so I added two chicken breasts as well as 2 strips of bacon for some added flavor! I Also cooked it in the instant pot, so added the orzo and beans after the chicken had been cooked and shredded so it didn’t get mushy!
Hi Karina,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
Perfect for a cold Friday night dinner. Great creamy flavor mixed with the tartness of lemon.
Hey Bryan,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
This was a delicious lemon-kissed dish to usher out Winter and welcome Spring! It was as creamy as risotto and every ingredient held its own. The next day I thinned it with chicken stock and had it as a soup, garnished with Asiago. Superb!!
Hi there,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend:) xT
Everyone loved this!
Hi Cindy,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend:) xT
This recipe was so delicious and very quick and easy to make. Thank you Tieghan for yet another scrumptious meal?Donna
This was the easiest and most delish dish I have ever made.
My family could not get enough.
Next time going to make a double batch as no leftovers with this one!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Sofia,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend:) xT
Hi Donna,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend:) xT
Love the recipe! Do you drain the beans? What can you use if you don’t have a parmesan rind?
Thank you!
Hi Nila,
Yes, drain the beans and you can just skip the parmesan rind. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it!! xTieghan
I made it without the rind and used a few parmesan petals instead. It turned out amazing! So much flavour. Next time I’ll use a little less orzo but other than that it’s a keeper!
Hi Nila,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xx
I made this for dinner tonight, and was very happy with the results! The flavors are delicious, and I will definitely make broth like this in the future. My only critiques would be that 2 cups of orzo ends up soaking up the 6 cups of broth, so it’s not really a soup anymore. When I make this again in the future, I will probably half the amount of orzo to have more of a soup consistency, and also yield more of the tasty broth. I also used spinach instead of kale, and just added it at the very end, mix it in and let it cook in the hot broth. Def a tasty dish! 🙂
Hey Nadia,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Thanks for sharing your feedback. Have the best weekend:) xT
So delicious! I used half the orzo and loved this recipe 🙂
Hi Amanda,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend:) xT
Will this dish reheat well? I wanted to jr some up for family members
Hey Katelyn,
It does, the only issue is that the orzo will soak up a lot of the broth, so you will want to add more. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi Tieghan, this dish is amazing!!! We made it tonight, and as it was the two of us we cut the recipe in half and we still had leftovers. We used our home made chicken stock and two small parmigiana heels. So delicious. Thank you. This is in the recipe box for a regular dish from now on at our house.
Cheers
Judith
Hey Judith,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan