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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 last night’s dinner. Substituted spinach for kale just because I’m not a fan of kale and added some chopped sundried tomatoes just because, I love them. Was delicious especially on a cold, rainy night here on the east coast.
Hey Pam,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe, I’m so glad it turned out nicely for you! xx
It turned out super yummy. I had some Rotisserie Chicken so I added it. My family loved it.
Thank you. I love your recipes & Cookbooks. I have all three. YaY!
Hey June,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe, I’m so glad it turned out nicely for you! xx
It would be great if you would include nutritional info for those with dietary restrictions….
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Susan! This is something we hope to do in the future! Have a great day! xx
Haha so funny this recipe popped up in my email today…. While it is crazy windy and snowing in Colorado today! This soup is very tasty and very easy to make. Great flavors and oh so comforting on a snowy day. I swear I made it 5 times in the month of December and took to all my holiday potlucks with rav reviews ☺️
Hey Courtney,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for giving it a try! Stay warm! xxT
The recipe has 1/2c coconut milk as an ingredient but it does not mention at what stage/step it should be added. Am I missing something?
Hi there,
The milk is added in step 2:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Yep, I was definitely missing something (reading comprehension). Thanks and looking forward to making this one.
I made this and the next day am still thinking about it and sending recipe to my friends. This soup is hearty but not heavy- just perfect. I used stock not broth because it’s all I had available and added shredded chicken. I opted for the coconut milk option- yum. I also used two lemons because I love lemon anything and I may even use a 3rd next time because it really wasn’t too lemony.
Thanks a lot, Kimmie! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it and your comment!!
I’ve made it twice in 2 months now, it’s THAT good!
Thanks a lot, Martha! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it and your comment!!
This looks wonderful and I will make it this week with some mayacoba beans that I just cooked. BUT -1330 calories/serving??? Seems a bit much! I hope that’s for the whole pot – or I’ll have to bypass and it looks too delicious for that.
Hi Jane,
It could be for the whole pot. I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. It’s not something we’d prefer to be using. We are required to. I’m sorry for the trouble, we do our best! Hope you enjoy the recipe! xT
Hello! Will be making this recipe tomorrow, I can’t wait to enjoy it all week long! Do you think it can be made in a crockpot instead of on the stove top?
Hey Stacey,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you, I hope you love it! xT
Hi Tieghan, loved the flavors of this dish! I added more orzo but now it seems like too much for my fiance and I to eat so was wondering if it can be frozen and reheated later?
Hey Sami,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe, love to hear it turned out well for you! Sure, you can freeze this. Enjoy your day:)
I don’t have White beans. Do you suggest I replace it with chickpeas, or with another kind of been? Hoping to make this tonight!
Hey Carol,
Sure, you could use another bean that you enjoy. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Definitely agree with other comment about it seemed like pasta not soup definitely less orzo would have worked and I added in more broth because it got so incredibly thick
Hi Natalie,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. So sorry it came out so thick for you! xx
Flavor was good but I left on stove for 30 min. Burner wasn’t on and all the liquid still absorbed making it just a pasta instead of soup. I assume it would need to served immediately.
Hi Lauren,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback! So sorry to hear all of the broth soaked up. You could always cook the orzo on the side next time. xx
I made this tonight! It’s a cold February evening and this soup was so warm and filling. I halved the orzo for my dietary preferences; otherwise I made it exactly as is. Delicious! My husband and I both had seconds. Served with Sunshine Mills Rosemary and Sea Salt crackers. Thanks very much for the recipe!
Hi Beverly,
Amazing! Thank you so much for trying this soup, I am so glad it turned out well for you! xxT
This soup is the coziest! Full of flavor, warmth and protein! Love the addition of the pesto, and that it has greens in it as well, although I did slightly reduce the orzo, and up the broth level, but that’s just personal preferences! Like a hug in a bowl! Making it for the second time today! Thanks for a great recipe!
Hey Lindsey,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out nicely for you! Happy Sunday! XxT